Cherubim
by Heero91
Summary: Sequel to Seraphim, a fallen Immortal awakens to a dire world, hunted by the world at large with his love corrupted and lost.
1. Chapter 1: Dormant Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

A quick warning I suspect the sequel will be darker than its predecessor, if you're doubting that I'll warn you to brace yourself.

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><p>I hated school.<p>

It's not that I didn't like learning, I actually really liked learning new things and I especially loved reading- anything and everything, nothing was as exciting to me as a big book to make my way through.

But that was also part of the problem.

The other kids didn't like that, they told me I was weird; they made fun of my glasses too, they were big and thick and I often had them stolen from me by one of the bigger kids on the playground.

I had asked the teachers to let me stay inside while the other kids went out to play, asked if I could just be left alone to read; they didn't like my suggestion, they told me I had to go outside and get my exercise, make friends with other kids.

I already have a friend and he's way nicer than the other kids who beat me up and take my glasses, he's super nice and never mean.

I only get to see him once a week though, the sisters who run the orphanage I live in always took us to church once a week and that's where I see him, Father Itachi.

He always listens to what I say, even when I'm complaining about something really silly; he can be a little weird though and he says odd little things every now and again that I don't understand, like he's speaking a different language or something. Plus I saw a tattoo on his arm one day, I didn't think priests were supposed to get tattoos.

He plays the church organ for me sometimes when I'm sad and it makes me feel a little better, I asked him to teach me once but my hands were too small- he had laughed and promised to teach me when I was older.

I wondered if those Sundays with Father Itachi were what having a real father was like; I didn't think so, if I got to spend every day like that then there was no way that I could be mean like the boys in school who had fathers.

Father Itachi was my only friend up until I was eight years old, after that I had none.

* * *

><p>I sat in the too high chair my legs dangling beneath me, I eyed the broken shards of my glasses in my hands.<p>

I sniffled and held back a sob.

I had tried to fight back today, I knew it was stupid but I had tried to anyway, it hadn't went that badly at first- I had even been winning until the bully's friends jumped in, no one jumped in to help me.

Two of them had held my arms back while the bully punched my face, I could still taste blood in my mouth and it hurt to move my jaw; they had got bored though and thrown me to the ground raining down kicks on me as I lay curled in a ball until the teachers had pulled them away.

I got in trouble too, for fighting back when the bully had taken my glasses; they told me I shouldn't have fought like that, that I should have went and got a teacher instead- when I told them that I had tried that before and the teacher had ignored me in favour of her cigarette they called me a liar and doubled my punishment.

I didn't go back to the orphanage after school, I had come to see Father Itachi instead; the sisters would be upset that I had been fighting and even more upset about the broken glasses; for at least a little while I wanted to spend some time with someone who would listen to me and not get angry.

Father Itachi greeted me with a warm smile and listened to my story, I had just about finished when he suddenly switched demeanour his expression becoming very serious; he sent me into this back room to hide, he told me not to make any noise.

He also begged me not to listen in on the conversation he was about to have with some visitors.

I wish I had listened to him.

There were several loud crashes from outside, quietly my curiosity spiked I crept over to the door and opened it a crack to spy on the situation.

* * *

><p>It never felt comfortable I found, even after all my years of missions and assassinations I still found it highly disconcerting to murder someone in a church.<p>

The man hadn't put up much of a fight at all, not that it really would have made much of a difference with my premonition and Madara's speed.

Madara had explained to me who this man was, Itachi Uchiha one of Sasuke's brothers and indirectly one of the men responsible for Sasuke's pain; I still recalled how Takeda had been rented out to a psychopath by these men and I knew that what we done now was nothing short of justice.

Madara had bound the pseudo priest to a chair; several Runes glowed dully on the man's pale skin, they were sketched in his own blood and would be near impossible to break.

It was time to begin our interrogation, I allowed Madara to take the lead.

"I must say Itachi, I'm a little surprised with this costume. I thought you were a devoted Buddhist after all?" commented Madara lightly striking a match and lighting up one of his cigarettes.

"A clever place to hide so." Returned the younger Uchiha calmly in an almost bored tone.

I closed the distance between us quickly, curled my fist into a ball and struck his cheek with as much force as possible- both the man and the chair he occupied were knocked over onto the floor, Madara gave a sigh before he righted both the man and the chair.

He had worn one of Sasuke's expressions for a moment there, and that wasn't allowed.

"Not clever enough though." Whispered Madara, Itachi let out a bark of laughter and I saw blood dribble from his mouth.

"Where is your brother?" asked Madara menace lining his tone as his face lost any allusion of mirth or good humour; it was a first however to hear Madara miss speak or perhaps he was asking about the current clan heads location, that seemed more likely to me.

"Torture me all you like Madara, but I will not betray him to the likes of you." Answered Itachi, I was surprised at that level of loyalty the man held; from what I can remember of the clan loyalty was never exactly their strong suit.

He turned his gaze to me and for a moment I felt a wave of anxiety wash over me; the man seemed to look right through me into my core, the same way Sasuke could.

"When you see Sasuke again, tell him not to blame anyone but Madara for what is to happen; not you and not himself either." Spoke Itachi a sad weight behind his words, it took me a moment to fully process his words.

"W-when…when I see Sasuke again!" I screeched furious at the man's audacity.

I reached over and plucked the half smoked cigarette from Madara's hand, it's tip glowing a dangerous red- I idly heard Madara tell me to keep him alive, it was about time that I gained my new seal and he could be of use in the ritual.

That seemed fitting to me.

My first urge was to simple ram the cigarette into the bastards face but I quickly rethought that plan, it would after all be better if I built the anticipation a little first, I took a drag of the cigarette and flicked the still hot ashes onto a small cut on his forearm; I saw the muscles in the limp unconsciously tense at the pain, his expression remained carefully blank however.

"He's not worth it you know, this brother your protecting. We'll get him eventually." I whispered into the Uchiha's ear taking another drag and flicking the ash this time on a shallow cut on his chest, I had to force myself not no cough as I tasted the nicotine in my mouth.

The man gave a sudden bark of bitter laughter.

"You doubt us?" I asked annoyed, but at least he resembled Sasuke less like this and that certainly made things easier; I jammed the cigarette into his chest and smelled the disturbing scent of flesh burning, he stopped laughing.

"Why do you want to kill my brother so badly miss?" asked the fake priest a sly smile still on his face.

"Are you trying to make me angrier scum?" I asked in response, this man seemed bound and determined to meet the most painful end possible.

"I always wanted to die laughing." Answered the man with a chuckle, he thought I was some kind of joke…worse still he thinks my revenge for Sasuke is nothing more than a joke too.

That was unacceptable.

"Uchiha's are proud of their eyes, are they not?" I asked and the man's smile dropped immediately, I guess he realised that the real torture was about to begin and what my first act would be.

I took what would likely be the final drag of the almost dead cigarette noting idly that there was a distinct taste of copper to it now that it had been soaked in some blood, I straddled the man's lap and caught his chin in a tight grip as he struggled the move from his inevitable fate.

"Right or left?" I called to Madara.

"Right." He returned, he'd lit up another cigarette since I'd stolen this one.

Right eye it is so.

We burned the church to the ground as we were leaving; it was actually the only time our captive tried to fight back for real, when he realised our intention, but he was to broken after what I had done to him.

It was a pitiful sight and it made me wonder why the man would put in so much effort now of all times over a building.

I was getting closer though, to having fully avenged Sasuke- if we were to meet again after today I think I'd feel more comfortable looking him in the eye, Madara told me that he would have been proud.

* * *

><p>The room was filled with smoke, I hadn't noticed it until now; I had been busy crying and trying to remove the horrors of what I had just seen from my mind…the things that woman had done, they weren't human.<p>

The door is cloaked in flames now and I withdraw to the furthest corner of the room, there aren't any windows in this room and somewhere in the back of my mind I realise that I'm trapped.

I'm going to die here.

My head starts to feel dizzy from the smoke and in the final moments before I lose consciousness all that I can think of is that woman, the one who hurt Itachi so much.

Her image is burned into my mind, her angelic pale skin and her unnatural milky white eye's, cold dead eyes; I can't help but feel there was something missing in those eyes something important.

I hate her I decide just before I black out.

* * *

><p>It's a little short but this will be the first chapter of the sequel.<p>

R&R


	2. Chapter 2: Waking Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Chapter Two;

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><p>Who's that?<p>

Haven't you heard, he's a major delinquent; he burned down a church when he was a kid and he gets in fights all the time.

It was something I had gotten used to over the years, the same whispers that followed endlessly behind my back; they didn't really affect me anymore but still every now and again I'd hear a whisper just a sliver too loud and some of the memories would come rushing back to me.

I had been pulled from the flames that threatened to end my life at the very last minute, however my sense of victory over deaths unrelenting grasp lasted only about a minute or so; then reality came crashing down on me, very quickly I began to wish that I hadn't been pulled from the flames at all.

With no other suspects and with the fire having clearly been purposefully started they assumed that I had started the fire, my 'childish' stories about a dark man and a white eyed woman kidnapping a priest that officially didn't exist were ignored.

I had to spend years in what they called a rehabilitation clinic, I was sent to psychologists who went on and on about how I had to accept the truth to recover; they tried things, drugs, hypnosis, until eventually I told them what they wanted to hear.

They told me that I had made an important break though, I promised myself to burn them if the opportunity ever arose.

When I was sixteen I was perceived to have recovered enough to enter regular school again, I was still closely monitored though and of course forbidden from having access to matches, lighters or any other source of fire.

The whispers brought back bad memories though and refreshed the bitter taste in my mouth.

I still didn't know what to make of Father Itachi, there was apparently no records of him according to the authorities and according to the psychologists he was just a figment of my over active imagination, just like the man and the woman that I claimed burned down the church.

I turn and mutter a vague threat to the gossiping girls and actually smile a little as they scamper off in fear.

I still remember every little detail about her, her image haunts me at night leaving me restless and listless. I see her in crowds sometimes or at least I think I do, I'm not certain of much anymore these days- both my mind and the universe both seemed to relish in playing tricks on me as far back as I could remember.

I soon made my way outside into the open air of the roof, my claustrophobia evaporated and the accompanying migraine disappeared as I took a deep breath of the crisp fresh air; I sat and stretched, letting my mind wonder; except for the lack of a good book this was about the most peaceful and relaxed that I got, it was even worth the trouble I'd suffer for skipping class.

Today was a good day; sometimes there could be other students up here, smoking- cigarettes and other things I didn't bother noting; I made a point of avoiding the smokers, they had lighters and it wouldn't be worth my time to get caught within arm's reach of one of those.

Today I had the roof all to myself, a rare pleasure.

Finding a nice spot I lay back and watched the clouds drift by, I conjured up odd fantasies of other places- places where I was happier and yet somehow her image always came back to me in the end, that cruel angelic woman with the empty eyes.

The lines blurred and I drifted off into a daydream.

* * *

><p>Out behind the school library at that same moment you would find an energetic blonde boy speaking adamantly into his phone, the occasional sentence was accompanied with expressive hand gestures that would be lost on the person on the other line.<p>

"And what's his mentality like?" asked the crackling voice from the phones speaker.

"Pretty shity, might even affect him after you know." Responded the blonde a sober frown decorating his lips.

"He's practically traumatised." Added the boy raking a hand through his hair in frustration.

"You've completed your side of the connection?" asked the voice.

"Yeah I've completed my half of the bond just like you said, but his will still be incomplete." Answered the blonde noticeable worry now lingering in his tone of voice.

"We're going to have to risk it." Came the reply from the other side, the blonde boy took a sharp intake of air.

"That might kill him, or worse." He didn't want to mention what the or worse was, if this plan only released the seal power and not the Uchiha's memories straight away it was a failure of the worse sort.

"You don't trust the mistress." Asked the voice across the line.

"With this no, I don't trust that hag or anyone with him." Answered the blonde an edge to his voice.

"Remember the more off-guard you catch his current persona the more likely our plan is to work." The boy wanted to add that the more he pushed the current persona the more likely it was he'd break.

"This had better work."

* * *

><p>"I apologise Lady Hokage." Spoke the silver haired teenager bowing low and deep to the woman standing before him.<p>

"Rise Kakashi." Ordered the blonde woman, the silver haired man rose but kept his head bowed.

"I have yet to read your report Kakashi, I was much rather hoping that you would explain to me how an elite such as yourself was…humbled so." Spoke the blonde leaning back in her seat an giving the man an expectant look, Kakashi opened his mouth to respond but caught himself as the Hokage went on.

"A year. You promised me that in less than a year you would have captured both the Hyuuga and the Uchiha, I granted you control of the task and resources to complete it. I even promised you an amnesty for your student if you could catch them." Continued the blonde woman before leaning forward and grabbing a folder from her desk, the silver haired man lowered his gaze in shame at what he knew was to come.

"That was forty four years ago I made that promise Kakashi, the Uchiha alone has reportedly killed over two thousand soldiers of various classes and clans, he even freed Naruto Uzumaki…the amnesty is off Kakashi and you are no longer in charge of this affair." It was subtle the clenching of the man's jaw and the twitch of a muscle here and there as the man forced himself not to make an outburst.

"I don't care how the fight went Kakashi I can already tell enough about that from your former corpse, all I what to hear about is the Uchiha and Hyuuga's abilities." Finished the Lady Hokage fixing a dark glare on the man.

"He has acquired a sealed weapon, I can't say for certain but it raised his speed above my own and increased his strength enough to make our fight roughly even." Answered the silver haired man, the Hokage gave an audible snort at the word even.

"Is that all you deduced Kakashi?" asked the blonde a sliver of a threat in her tone.

"Yes Lady Hokage." Answered the man nothing showing in his façade, the Hokage seemed to accept this and waved off the man, he stood his ground after a moment of hesitance.

"You can go now Kakashi." Ground out the woman.

"Lady Hokage, may I ask…what happened to Sakura?" asked the man, nervous energy lining his voice.

"She died in the same conflict, though she woke up a couple of months earlier than you. She mental state is back to normal now Kakashi." Answered the Hokage after a moments silence.

"She does not recall her previous life and it would be wise if you kept quiet about it when speaking to her. Now get out of my sight."

* * *

><p>It had been that same day dream again, the fire felt so real- too real.<p>

I woke from the memory in a cold sweat on the roof, checking my watch I discovered that I had slept through lunch and would soon be late for another class; with a sigh I decided that I may as well attend some of my classes today, I gathered my things and started my way towards my maths class.

I arrive a couple of minutes early for the class and help myself to a window seat at the back of the classroom, as my classmates filtered in to the room I was faintly amused to note that they all gave me a lot of personal space; that is however until a certain blonde entered the room.

He's the first person to actually take the seat next to me since I can remember, it gets odder though.

"Hi, I'm Naruto." Greeted the blonde with a nervous smile, I stared at him for a moment with unmasked confusion and then rather eloquently grunted and ignored the blonde; somehow he still didn't seem all that but off, he continued to babble on about various topics.

The class was as dull as ever and I had to struggle to keep my mind from wondering, the blonde next to me had quieted down now and I thanked my luck for that much at least.

The class ended without event and the other students filtered out quickly, I took my time gathering my own supplies and I suspiciously noted that Naruto also seemed to be taking his time though his pace seemed more deliberate if that veiled glances in my direction were any indication; I didn't let on that I'd noticed his spying as possible explanations raced through my mind.

Maybe he had heard one of those rumours circulating about me and was investigating it's accuracy, a thrill seeker; or he could just be some idiot dared into pulling some prank on me, it had happened before.

It was only the two of us left in the room now and I was eager to get to the bottom of this.

"What's your problem." I ground out no quarter in my tone, I didn't know how to be subtle least of all when I was angry.

"Eh problem?" squeaked the boy caught off caught, he blinked rapidly and made an alien gesture that I guessed was supposed to reassure me…of something.

"Yeah the problem, you've been giving me shifty glances all throughout the class. I'm not blind." I growled out fixing the blonde with a suspicious glare, surprisingly it didn't seem to faze him nearly as much as I would have liked.

Something passed through his expression that I idly believed was some form of resolution hardening, I actually almost had myself fooled into believing I could now see that resolution shining in his gaze.

There was a long pause as Naruto took a deep breath.

"Alright Sasuke, there's something important I need to tell you." The blonde breathed after a moment, there was fear in his gaze now- enough that it almost threatened to drown out the resolve I seen only a moment ago.

* * *

><p>"Alright Sasuke, there's something important I need to tell you." I felt my jaw tighten as objections raced through my mind.<p>

Miss Anneil had explained all these potential problems to me; Sasuke and I didn't have a complete bond as we'd gotten Konoha's watered down variant instead, Anneil had explained it to me as the true bond being like a tough iron chain linking two souls- what Sasuke and I shared was more like a thin cotton thread by comparison.

It was due to this slight bond that I had been able to still awaken in the traditional way but apparently Sasuke had later gotten the complete bond and that left him in an awkward position, he could only by awoken by someone bonded to him…I'll admit I reacted rather badly when I thought Anneil was hinting that Sasuke had replaced me, and I reacted worse when I discovered whoever shared this second bond wouldn't help us get him back.

There were other problems too, Sasuke's death had been rather traumatic and that meant it would be harder to awaken his sleeping soul combine that with the fragile nature of our bond and it became a dire situation.

Anneil was a prophet which meant she had a certain amount of foresight into things, she couldn't tell though whether our plan would work.

I'd have to shock him awake, give him some revelation that his soul would react to; unlike the regular bonding system instead of awakening his seal's and having them awaken his memories I was going to awaken his memories and...hope things worked out for the best.

Anneil was allowing me to choose what to say to him…there was a lot of things that I considered; bringing up his and Sakura's child, dead at the hands of the Order years ago I'd been told; I considered lying too, telling him that Hanabi had returned…

I finally settled on something though and Anneil agreed it would work best, after all it was our weak bond I was using so something between us was most appropriate.

"And what's that?" snarled the Uchiha, internally I was again surprised at how different this Sasuke was; there had always been a certain amount of anger lurking beneath the surface of the Uchiha but I'd never seen him so loose with it.

Takeda had been terrified of losing his friends and despite being undeniably Sasuke he was meeker and kinder in ways, he hadn't been hardened by years of fighting.

His true soul hid everything, abandoned by to women he'd loved and raised by a downright abusive clan he was cold to everyone but a select few and even then he still kept emotionally distant.

This time Sasuke's anger had come to the forefront.

"Sasuke…I…I love you." I only had enough time to glance the flabbergasted expression he now wore before I grabbed a fistful of his shirt collar and pulled him into a rough kiss, I made sure to grasp his left forearm too where I knew there should be a seal- it was lucky that his sleeves were rolled up.

I felt my horror rise, I felt nothing from the Uchiha- no kick or spike of energy from his seals releasing.

I pulled back leaving my grip on Sasuke's arm…this was going to be tricky to explain. I had expected to see a glare of confusion and disgust on the Uchiha's face but instead his features were completely blank, his gaze was completely vacant and in a moment of dread I thought he had died.

I shouldn't have done this, there were too many risks involved.

I shook the Uchiha in a desperate attempt to jolt him awake, Anneil hadn't mentioned anything like this to me; he was supposed to wake up or not, this wasn't supposed to happen.

My right arm went completely numb as a spark of lightning erupted from Sasuke's forearm.

* * *

><p>They say it happens differently for everyone; Sakura had told me it always seemed like a dream to her, a hazy tour through her memories and when she awoke she was herself once more; Naruto explained to me that he had a bizarre conversation with a copy of himself and over the course of the conversation his new memories and old memories blurred into one.<p>

For a long time everything just came to me in a single flash, inwardly I had always assumed it was a quality, that my mind was stronger or better maintained than the others; later I realised that it was actually more pathetic than that, everything came to me in a flash because none of my memories had much significance to me.

Now I had memories that were precious to me, they were the only thing I had left of people I had loved; when I awoke now that grief twisted those precious memories into vivid nightmares.

I recognised the garden I found myself in , the soft gentle hues of lavender and cream flora, the elegant craftsman ship of the ornaments, the noble imposing statue of their first patriarch- this was the Hyuuga's private gardens.

"Sasuke, where are you taking me?" asked a quiet voice to my left.

A compact women with neatly combed brown hair stared up at me curiosity blazing in her pale gaze, I became aware of the pressure on my hand and finally noticed she had it clenched firmly in one of her own. It didn't occur to me to ask why the Hyuuga princess wore a night dress in such a wretched state, covered in stains and torn, I also didn't ask about the iron cuffs on her wrists and ankles.

I just sent a small smile her way and started along the path, giving her a gentle tug to follow and softly squeeze of her hand to reassure her worries.

I could taste the building energy in the air around us and I knew without a doubt exactly what night this was, I had snuck into the Hyuuga compound and wisped Hanabi away to watch the approaching lightning storm with me.

It was a precious memory to me, seeing her awe and amazement at the storm and her complete trust in me to keep her safe from it; I continued to lead her until we were no longer on the Hyuuga grounds.

The girl suddenly pulled me to a halt, for some reason she looked frightened to me; she was supposed to be excited tonight not afraid.

"Why are we going in there Sasuke?" asked the girl nodding toward the towering stone building just before us; it held an intimidating quality to it, gothic spires and unnaturally dark stone put me ill at ease as I took in its appearance with considerable confusion, shadows seemed to reach out and beckon me in.

I hadn't realised I was walking towards such a place, I had meant to lead us to the lake to the south of the town; and yet I suddenly felt as if I had to enter this place, there was something in their calling to me.

I gave Hanabi's hand another careful squeeze to reassure her as we moved under the shadow of the Ebony stoned building, the rain started with a sudden harshness that I hadn't originally recalled, I convinced myself that this was simply a missing part of my memory I only recalled now- taking shelter from the icy wind and rain until the lightning started, it was so long ago of course I'd forgotten such an insignificant little thing.

We entered the building to find it only marginally warmer than it had been outside, I noticed Hanabi shiver and draw closer to me; her skin brushed against mine and I felt an ancient tingle shake up my blood.

I wanted to grab her, hold her tight and forget everything else. I wanted regaining my memories to be like a bus ride, that I could chose to get off here and live in this memory again.

But I couldn't alter the memory and almost cruelly I marched the shivering girl further down the dark corridor, something was wrong with the scene but it escaped me.

The nightmare began as I entered the buildings courtyard; I stood under the slight shelter staring at the situation in both confusion and an abject sense of horror, Hanabi had given up any pretence of modesty and clung to my arm, I barely noted the heavy Oak doors slamming shut behind us- I solemn clap sealing our fate.

The courtyard's plant life was dead and rotted in direct contrast to the bright beautiful gardens we'd left, that's not what caught my attention however, what caught my attention were the hauntingly familiar Runes cut into the dead earth.

A huge star shape had been dug into the garden, in each point was one of the Elemental runes painted in blood- the rune for death lay in the centre; the star was encased in a circle and the circle in a triangle, within every free space a new complex rune lay.

It was a master rune intended to pull the soul from the body.

Satoshi Uchiha and Hiashi Hyuuga stood before the Rune, fifteen men in white robes were spread around the perimeter of the courtyard.

This wasn't how this memory was supposed to play out, not at all.

"Sasuke Uchiha, we thank you for delivering the traitor to her execution." Spoke the Hyuuga head causing Hanabi to step away from me quickly, there was no accusation in her eyes only confusion.

"What's going on Sasuke?" asked the girl, my beloved as she stared at the method of her death without comprehension.

"You may leave Sasuke, your services are no longer required." Spoke Satoshi, I wanted to scream in defiance, bring down a bolt of lightning and obliterate each and every one of these monsters.

Instead I turned and walked to the Oaken doors I'd entered from, Hanabi screamed my name and I heard the sound of a struggle as she was dragged onto the deadly Rune.

I kept walking.

More memories returned to me in a blur, no more standing out, no more becoming twisted atrocity's mixing my happiest moments with my most painful in some cruel cocktail.

I stood on the steps of a small chapel, the bright sun blazed in the sky above and I could only hear the singing of some early morning birds that I didn't recognise and the rhythmic clap clap of her heels as her ascended the steps behind me.

I turned and offered my hand to the woman in the white dress with pale eyes.

"We're not supposed to see each other before the ceremony, it's bad luck you know." She teased flashing me a wide grin displaying her dimples, I felt myself smile back as I took her hand in mine.

"It's worth the risk." I returned as we continued up the steps our arms linked, plus I didn't want to let her out of my sight for a moment, we'd had to many close calls.

Hinata stopped for a moment, a hiccup in the memory that should have alerted me to the impending nightmare- but I remained oblivious walking off the track of my memories into something else instead.

"You look sad Sasuke." She commented with worried frown.

"Just a bad memory that's all." I answered, I couldn't even remember what the memory even was now, if it had been a memory at all.

We continued walking and reached the chapel doors, I pulled one open for Hinata, I should at least be chivalrous with her; just as she passed in front of me she paused for a moment a locked eyes with mine.

"Do you wish it was her instead Sasuke?" I choked as she strode inside, a moment later I rushed inside after her.

"Hinata!" I called as I entered, she had already made it to the top of the aisle and stood before the minister; instead of the frail old minister that I remembered preforming our ceremony Itachi Uchiha my only real brother stood apparently acting as minister.

I marched to the top of the church less like a man about to be married and more akin to a man off to battle, I ignored my brother in favour of my bride to be.

I noticed the red stains on her dress first.

She turned to face me, her right arm was cut off at the bicep, blood drips from her shut left eye- she smiles serenely at me.

"I got hurt Sasuke…are you going to kill me again?" she asked in an innocent childish tone, in a childish response I quickly glance over at Itachi for help; he always knew how to help me before.

He's no longer there…but someone else is instead.

"Something wrong Sasuke?" Asked Madara with a kindly smile, the fatherly manipulative one he'd used for years; blood loss got the better of Hinata and I abandoned my worries over Madara to catch her, blood drenched her dress and I cursed myself for not acting sooner.

I seared the wound shut my heart clenching as Hinata let out a shriek of pain and tried to claw her way away from me. I heard Madara chuckle from behind me.

"Seems the guests are all here." Commented the Ancient Uchiha, I gently lay Hinata down before I looked to see what Madara had meant.

The front row had filled up with bodies.

A malnourished Naruto sat in only a white robe, blood leaking from his chest where I knew his heart had been pierced…by me; Kakashi sat next to him or at least half of him did, his entire chest cavity had been ripped open by me- the bisecting was post mortem; Sakura was third in the row, neck snapped, my cleanest kill of the lot.

Itachi sat in the row behind, bloody, broken and charred; Hanabi sat beside him, she had no obvious wounds but I knew she too was dead. For a moment there was only the urge to lay down and die, Hinata began to shake and I clutched her to my chest desperately; I shut my eyes and tried to force my growing panic down.

I felt the oppressive heat and got the familiar scent of smoke; I opened my eyes, flickering flames filled my vision, devouring the bodies of my brother, former fiancé and comrades; with rising horror I realised that the flames had somehow reached Hinata in my arms.

The flames had turned an unholy black and Madara loomed over me as I struggled to extinguish the blaze consuming Hinata's body.

"This is your fate Sasuke, Amaterasu charges a steep price for use of her flames." Spoke Madara, nothing remained of Hinata now but ashes, the black flames clung to my arms but didn't burn.

Nothing remained now but black flames, myself and Madara.

There was another flash of memories awakening and I found myself, sitting in a classroom, a sobbing Naruto clutching me.

"…Nata…" I groaned a furious crushing headache assaulting my mind, my nightmares were forgotten- I remembered now Orochimaru the snake, Hinata, Itachi, Madara.

"Sasuke!" I heard Naruto gasp, his voice sending pain vibrating through my mind as if shards of broken glass had been hammered into my skull.

"Quiet, Naruto." I was back, I should have been dead but instead here I was; dozens of question's came to mind, about what had happened to Hinata since my death, Madara's motives, exactly why I was alive.

* * *

><p>"Did you feel that Kakashi?" asked the pinkette now sitting rigidly in her seat, neither of us even paid any attention to the fallen mug of tea now staining my carpet, I was a better tracker than Sakura and even I doubted exactly what I'd just felt.<p>

"Yes." I answered plainly, question's suddenly racing through by mind.

I had assumed he's went back into hiding with the Hyuuga, but that spike of energy had been his and what's more it felt like an awakening; I was suddenly left with feelings of dread and worry for my former student, feeling's I'm sure the Hokage would see as reason enough to have me executed.

By freeing Naruto Sasuke had made himself Konoha's number one enemy.

"It felt like Sasuke." Stated Sakura a hope shining in her eyes that tore at me worse than any death I'd faced before.

I had to bite my tongue, as far as Sakura knew Sasuke had died in the Jonin initiation ritual, memories of her past life of insanity were forgotten- I secretly worried that they were only suppressed and would someday return- Tsunade had forbidden me from telling Sakura the truth, if she knew what she'd done- what I'd allowed her to do- it would break her.

I prayed to heaven that the only student I had left wouldn't become another of the Order's sacrifices.

"The important word is like Sakura, didn't you notice the more chaotic feel to the energy?" I asked knowing Sakura had, and she wouldn't know of Sasuke's new seals; no one in the Order would actually, it was my gift to Sasuke I thought guiltily- they'd think it was a more powerful Uchiha rouge.

Itachi Uchiha, I thought fit the bill well enough, nobody had seen him in decades and his rumoured mastery in Runes was near mythic.

"No, I mean yes I felt that, but it was Sasuke, I know it." Her resolve was only based on deep desire but it was still ironic that she grasped the truth by ignoring the facts…it put a traitorous notion in my mind about my own beliefs and fate, I willed it away.

"Then he'll come back to us." It was a horribly cruel thing to say even if Sakura didn't realise it; she just smiled brilliantly, apologised and began cleaning the mess from her dropped cup.

I wondered what she dreamed up in response to my words, Sasuke returning confused and at odds with a vastly different world only to find the Hyuuga princess and Naruto gone, and then what Sakura would embrace him with open arms and he'd fall for her.

Should I tell her that if Sasuke ever does come back it will me to kill us, the only possible mercy being a quick death, I was suddenly jealous of Sakura and rueful of my own knowledge.

"He'll come back to us Kakashi, Naruto was right we just have to wait for him." She smiled sadly as she mentioned the last of the trio, now that she believed he was dead Naruto had stopped being the man who got more attention from Sasuke than her and had become a cherished old friend.

Naruto, I thought, might not be so merciful as to grant us a quick death.

* * *

><p>I woke with a start from a familiar dream turned sour.<p>

It was the dream I had every night for the past few years, I feel his energy signal flare to life and he returns to me- whole once more and at peace- me forgive each other of everything and anything the other done that hurt us and he tells me how proud of me he is, for becoming strong and surviving.

He smiles and tells me he loves me and then I awake my heart broken anew.

This was different though, I felt the spike of energy but it wasn't how it should be; in my dreams before now I had always felt happiness and love radiating from our bond, this time though- I shiver at the memory- there was rage, a furious monstrous anger, and confusion a coupled with a distinct sense of utter betrayal.

Most worrying of all was that I wasn't quite sure I'd only been asleep when I felt it- maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me but for a few moments after I awoke those horrible feelings continued and almost seemed to swell and grow.

I soothed myself back to sleep reassuring myself, I had been avenging Sasuke he couldn't me upset about my actions.

* * *

><p>And that's chapter 2, hope you enjoyed- there's a wee bit more to sink your teeth into than the former chapter.<p>

R&R


	3. Chapter 3: Lost Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Chapter Three;

* * *

><p>After Hinata and I had deserted the Order we managed to live a life of relative happiness for almost five and a half years, we lived quietly and had had to abandon our situations more than once but we were together and that meant everything to us; I was working as a librarian at the time and Hinata worked as a school nurse, I hadn't been happy with her choice of work but it was the best option available, Hinata wanted a job helping people somehow and a nurse in a school was a lot safer than working in a hospital.<p>

There were important conditions in choosing your job when you were an Order deserter, I'd learned these well when I was a Hunter for the Order, at the time it had been out of boredom I'd noted these points- I hadn't thought I'd be following them religiously in the future.

The first one's obvious- you need a low key job; the less people you interact with the better, no deserter has ever become a public speaker or run for office; there is a balance however to this rule in that you can't have too low key of a job; Night security and other jobs with no public interaction where monitored for deserters.

Working in the library of a small town was good, it interacted with the public enough that it wasn't monitored but seeing as that public was a closed community I never got surprised by an Order member wandering in to apply for a card, Hinata's job offered a similar security that she wouldn't have had if she were to work in an actual hospital.

The second is that your job doesn't attract attention, there are more subtle kinds of fame than being a movie star, a brilliant surgeon may attract a more dangerous acclaim- if one of the Order or Clans believed this surgeon could save their soldiers and save them the time of 'recycling' them they would investigate this individual and most likely aquire their services, through any means necessary.

I'd never be investigated by anyone for my impeccable self-stacking abilities, Hinata wasn't in as safe a position- she'd have to pass severe cases she technically wasn't supposed to be able to handle that arose on to less well prepared professionals lest she attract attention.

My third most important note wouldn't help in avoiding getting caught but it was an important safety net- weapons.

You cannot under any circumstance abandon your weapons, if a job means you can't have a weapon with you at all times it's not the job for you; I managed to hide more than enough weaponry around the library but Hinata worked out of a tiny office and worse still she didn't want weapons in a place she was going to help sick children.

I was never happy with the situation but against my better judgement I stopped arguing about it, I may have been right from a logical point of view but she was right morally and that she said was more important.

On a slow wet Tuesday afternoon while I was getting lunch at the diner across the street from the library I worked in, I overheard some distressing news, apparently the school nurse had abducted one of the children and fled into the woods, another mentioned that the kidnapping had occurred after several undercover officers had arrived at the school, a man laughed loudly and commented about what a shame it was that such a 'fine piece of ass' was a nutty bitch.

Before I left the diner I smashed that man's face into the counter top, the force of the collision left his two front teeth still embedded into the counter when the ambulance took him away later, or so I'd heard on the news.

I didn't waste time picking up better weaponry and sped into the woods with only a six shooter like some fool hardy cowboy hero, I followed the pull I felt from our bond; now that I was paying attention I realised the slight distress I felt from the connection- Hinata needed to keep her emotions controlled to stop the Order agents from sensing her Seals, that also meant I hadn't felt anything substantial from our bond.

I didn't find Hinata in time.

I entered the scene to find almost a dozen dead bodies, mostly cannon fodder without seals, a meat shield; the three that remained however where far more dangerous, I recognised all three of them but knew only the name of one.

"Sakura!" I roared fury and panic mixing into a dangerously desperate mindset, the girl turned to me with a wide innocent grin; I could just about make out Hinata crouched behind them, the child she had abducted was nowhere to be seen.

"Sasuke! Hang on a minute…the witch is almost dead." She commented flicking the blood from her blade, she believed Hinata had bewitched and stolen me from her she'd explained that the last time we'd met; the two men flanking her moved forward a split second before I did.

The first man died in an instant, over eager and self-assured he clearly didn't know who I was, his full metal jacket round didn't get anywhere close to me before to the man's shock and horror it changed direction and tore through his throat. Sakura laughed wildly as the man gurgled through his last breath.

The other man was wiser and came at me with a wicked looking blade instead, he was even cautious enough to avoid my own shots but the shots did keep him far enough away for me to pass him; Sakura didn't even bother to get in my way and that immediately set off alarm bells.

I reflected later that she was likely so proud that she had wanted me to witness her handiwork, or perhaps she knew the way I'd have to react and wanted to see that; I stopped thinking it over after a while, I suspected the moment I completely understood a madwoman's designs was the same I'd best turn one of my guns on myself.

Hinata lay in a pool of her own blood barely conscious with only a stump remaining of her right arm as Sakura crackled shrilly and her support released a battle cry as he once more charged towards me, the wisest course of action would have been to dispatch my attacker quickly and then tend to Hinata- but the man was cautious and Hinata had lost too much blood for me to waste any time being wise.

I reached Hinata a split second before my opponent reached me, scooping her up into my arms I only managed to half dodge the blade of my opponent, the long cut along my back was fortunately shallow though and I managed to get some distance Hinata wrapped tightly in my arms.

Hinata had lost consciousness now- a worrying fact though I prayed she'd remain unconscious for what happened next- I gripped what remained of her arm and realised searing fire onto the wound shuting it with an evil hiss.

She awoke screaming and flailed weakly in my grasp, I should have been whispering soothing words to her and checking for other less obvious injuries but Sakura and her accomplice had moved on the offensive.

I blocked Sakura's blade with the barrel of by six shooter- the blade sank almost an inch into the metal cylinder and I knew that it would be a mistake to fire another shot with it- and twisted Hinata and myself away from her comrades second attack managing to plant a lucky kick into his ribs, the sharp cracking noise gave me some hope.

I abandoned my revolver and adjusted my grip on Hinata, she was once again unconscious, darting away from my opponents; I wasn't one to flee from a fight but such a claim wouldn't do me too much good if both Hinata and I were dead.

I burst into the canopy Sakura hot on my trail, I couldn't see her companion and I could only hope that kick had hit harder than I had thought and not that he was flanking us.

Shifting Hinata so that only my left arm held her I began carefully releasing bursts of flames from my right hand lighting up the forest behind me in pot-shots, somehow I failed to notice Sakura had stopped following me during the barrage of fire.

I had ended up holding a hospital two town's over at gunpoint to get Hinata a blood transfusion, we even managed to get in and out of the hospital before any Order members arrived- I credit that to the doctors being so terrified of dying at the hands of the madman that I appeared to be- yet it was hardly a victory worth celebrating in the grand scheme of things.

That had been the end of our peacefully lives, in a strange way the events of that day had had a more detrimental effect of myself than her- I became excessively paranoid forcing Hinata to live in utter isolation, I was so wrapped up in protecting Hinata that I spent near to no time actually with her.

It wasn't a happy time for either of us but compared to the problems I had fallen into now it was a far better time.

"Sasuke, you alright?" asked Naruto from his place across from me.

"Hm, yeah…just got caught up in a memory." I answered offhandedly turning to glace out the window at country side blurring by.

"Anything you want to talk about?" asked the blonde leaning forward with poorly disguised interest.

"No. There's more important things to discuss." I answered turning my gaze once more to my old teammate, he wouldn't have all the answer's I sought but I suspected he had at least a few.

"I suppose, I haven't really explained anything yet have I?" returned Naruto idly scratching the back of his head in a familiar habit, it hadn't really been his fault- after I awoke my mind had been a mess, the only information I had gleamed from the blondes rambled explanation was that he was in league with Anneil and she'd helped him track me down.

Hence why we were on a train now, if anyone had answers to my questions it would be Anneil.

"Anneil or one of her underlings woke your seals correct, and helped you locate me?" I asked checking my information, at Naruto's stiff nod I started into my questions.

"What do you know of Madara Uchiha?" I asked.

"Nothing really, he's the Uchiha patriarch though isn't he? That'd make him your father." Answered Naruto surprise apparent at my line of questioning, I hid my disappointment- I hadn't been expecting Naruto to know anything anyway- if Hinata was still with Madara though that meant she'd likely disappeared off radar too.

"Why did Anneil what to meet me?" I asked, it had struck me as odd, Naruto had said Anneil wanted an audience with me- then again she can see the future, perhaps she already knew I'd come to her to find Hinata and was simply saving time.

"She wouldn't say, she's a little evasive." Responded the Uzumaki with a shrug, I suspected Naruto probably hadn't pressed the issue all that much.

"I suppose I'll find out in due time, speaking of which where's the meeting place?" I asked growing suspicious when Naruto let out a nervous chuckle as he's eyes suddenly wandered the room.

"You see that's kind of a funny story actually…" started the blonde my trepidation skyrocketing and uneasy twisting in the pit of my stomach like a cobra preparing to strike.

"Naruto, where are we meeting her, Themis(1)?" I asked through gritted teeth, Themis actually referenced a place also known as the hall of the Learned, one of Konoha religious epicentres; it would certainly be a bad place to arrange the meeting and Naruto almost seemed to be acting as if it had been arranged somewhere worse.

"Haha, no, kind of close though. Konoha used to call them Helios(2) Chosen I think we're-" I cut Naruto off with a hand wave staring at him incredulously.

"Naruto are you telling me we're going to meet Anneil at the Village Hidden in the Dream?" I asked not quite believing what I was hearing, no one had ever entered there before; I missed the confused glance Naruto shot me.

Anneil had never formed an Order or Clan but she did boast a considerable following, woman who she claimed had the gift- she'd claimed Hinata had it- these women had left there former positions some even as advanced as Anbu and joined the prophet as devoted servants; her followers made their Home in the Village Hidden in the Dream and while they could be considered a rag tag sort of Clan they were probably more dangerous than any other by no small margin.

"Ya actually, but how do you know that name?" asked Naruto confusion without malice or suspicion shining in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" I returned unsure what he was referencing exactly.

"You said the Village Hidden in the Dream, I've only ever heard the Sisters call it that." Elaborated Naruto.

For a moment I was back in a dirty dank cell, my left arm was numb where I'd just been branded in a manner of speaking and I could feel malicious energy enter me from the mark; I gripped the rusted cruel blade in my right hand tighter and pressed forward toward the prisoner, a slight woman- dirty, filthy and broken- Orochimaru needed information and I needed Orochimaru's trust for my plan to work.

"Sasuke!" I heard Naruto exclaim almost in a worried tone, I was back in the present once more.

"Sorry, just caught in a memory again; must have something to do with the unorthodox awakening." I responded; it didn't, not really, bad memories just have a way of gripping you like that; I knew what I was doing almost subconsciously, trying to put Naruto on the back foot so he wouldn't ask again.

I couldn't think of any more useful questions to ask, he couldn't tell me about Madara or Hinata and he didn't know what Anneil's new found interest in me was, I wasn't really all that concerned about anything else.

"Konoha. What have you heard about their activities?" I didn't particularly care about my former home, but that didn't mean that they wouldn't still have an interest in me.

"Nothing really, they've been clashing with Kiri recently, and supposedly Kakashi's awakened recently- though I didn't actually think anyone could kill that guy." Explained Naruto with a loose laugh.

"Neither did I." I responded evenly, after all had he not messed up protecting Sakura I probably wouldn't have succeeded- many in Konoha would have scorned his actions, the Uchiha especially, Kakashi Hatake too weak of resolve to abandon one student to strike down another.

Kakashi had been raised an orphan within Konoha, a bastard son of a bastard son, as a result he was far more indoctrinated into Konoha and blindly loyal to the Hokage than anyone else I'd ever met; he'd been fed nonsense of Konoha's greater goods and noble will of fire since birth.

I'd been raised an Uchiha, the corruption and short comings of Konoha constantly drilled into my mind, it was to prevent me from being loyal to the Order rather than the clan but instead had turned me into a cynic finding fault in every institute the Uchiha clan included.

The rest of the train ride was spent in a comfortable silence by me, and an awkward trying and failing to make conversation for Naruto.

Really what could we talk about, oh how was your time in the Konoha prison as a primal demon container or maybe a hey whatever happened to that child you and Sakura had before she went crazy; in truth I knew he wanted to grab me and scream why I'd gotten a second bond to someone…I still wasn't sure how to deal with what he'd told me to awaken my memories, I'd been playing dumb so far.

How was I supposed to tell the best friend who'd died for me several times over that no I don't return your affection actually I married woman who you insisted wasn't worthy, mistreated me and would be the permanent death of me.

Actually to the credit of Naruto's assessment I really should have been dead dead twice over by now…I was just lucky enough to keep getting brought back in increasingly bleak and difficult situations.

I was suddenly gripped by the need to have a weapon on my person.

"Naruto, we're taking a detour."

* * *

><p>"Yosh! Kakashi, we meet again." Sung the jubilant voice of Gai Might as he bounced almost giddily on the balls of his feet, his protégé adopting a similar stance just behind him- the grin spread across their faces was almost sickening but I held my expression carefully empty.<p>

This was the man in charge of retrieving or killing Sasuke and Naruto at his own discretion, I was also under his direct command until such time as that mission is complete- there was an insult in this set up too, Gai had the same seal level as me if he managed to complete this mission with relative easy it would reflect suspiciously on me.

If we do find Sasuke he'll probably order me to stay back while him and Lee- his student- fight, if they won Gai- my self-proclaimed rival- would be certain of his superiority and the Hokage would have me court martialed, Gai would undoubtedly notice Sasuke's true Seal level I'd lied about.

I wasn't sure who to root for.

* * *

><p>It just so happened that the most convenient place for me to stop to pick up weapons happened to also be the weapon depot I was most familiar with.<p>

The beach was immaculate now, the last time I had been here it was used as more of a dump than anything else- hence why I chose the location- now life bloomed all along the strip, brightly furnished shops with bizarre upbeat names.

I entered my old home- if you could call it that- under the cover of darkness Naruto by my side.

The furniture was covered in dust but still stood, unbidden I felt little memories come to me, how she had sat in the arm chair anxious, how she'd slept in the bed the night after we'd been reunited for the first time; a small smile even crept onto my lips when I realised what was missing from the room.

The ancient chest I had kept my mementos in was missing, it had old photos and diaries in it, nothing anyone from Konoha or Madara would have had an interest in, it meant she'd been here.

Naruto stayed quiet as I moved around the room searching for any more clues, that Hinata had been here- there were none and I held back the sigh that threatened to escape my lips and moved toward the empty fire place.

A small manipulation here and there on the decorative designs bordering the grate and finally I heard a soft click, the lock now released I slid the back wall of the fireplace away to reveal the small hidden chamber within.

I reached in ignoring the soot now covering the formally white school shirt I wore, I grasped the leather sack from within the chamber and pulled it out; I pulled my shirt off and wiped my hands clean as best I could, I also noticed the difference in my own body, gone was the baby fat I'd had now there were the beginning outlines of a six pack and my arms seemed thicker- my seals were changing my body to the way it should be.

Before opening the sack I searched out a shirt among my old clothes, it was a dark wine colour and felt overly large on my undeveloped frame, a day maybe two I estimated and it would fit perfectly again as my seal's altered my body.

"You're unarmed?" I asked the Uzumaki as I began withdrawing the contents of the sack, a variety of different weapon holsters, two Smith and Wesson revolvers, two nine millimetres, two long knives and a katana.

"Yeah…isn't a katana a little conspicuous though?" asked Naruto eying the weapon with some confusion, I'd have agreed with him under normal circumstances too.

"Right now it is, but-" I began drawing the blade with my left hand, drawing the lightning from my seals and manipulating it to travel down the blade.

Weapon Seals are a mysterious thing to most outside of the Mist Order, unlike some popular myths the Seal isn't a bond between the user and the weapon he carries, the Seal is always with the user and it manifests itself in the weapon of his choice, hence nobody has ever managed to steal a Sealed weapon.

When the Seal's master dies the Seal returns to him and leaves whatever weapon it had been in empty, when the master is reborn he can then place the Seal onto whatever weapon he chooses.

I watched the shock on Naruto's face as the dragon that symbolised the seal branded itself into the steel and the lightning scored the necessary Runes around it.

Those that specialised in weapon seals could do even more amazing things if rumours were to be believed, warriors who could alter a steel bar into their weapons of choice.

"The hell did you get that." Asked the Uzumaki.

"A very grateful former prisoner of Sound." I left out the reason that he'd been grateful, I'd killed the man when I was supposed to be tortured for information, I'd met him again years later and his clan had provided me with this seal, it was one of my few good deeds- and one of the fewer still that had worked out for the better.

"Time to see the witch queen." I muttered after Naruto and I had loaded up, I was still abrasive about walking into this woman's lair but my chances were slightly higher now.

* * *

><p>So I've used a Greek naming premise with Konoha traditions, fits in an odd way I think- plus there's a nice ring to it.<p>

(1) Themis- A Greek Titan, the name means "divine law".

(2) Helios- Greek God of Watchfulness and Wisdom.


	4. Chapter 4: Crippled Angel

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

littlewitch- Well first off let me thank you for taking the time to review, now onto some of your queries, let's begin with Sasuke's love of Hanabi. Personally I intended it to be read as love with a measure of guilt in it, which may be why he seems more in love with Hinata- since he's never felt compelled to love her, protect yes but not love, so it feels more honest. Honestly it's open to interpretation and the readers interpretations are probably more important than the writers intent. Second, Sasuke having an affair with Naruto, in a manner of speaking he had amnesia at the time so I wouldn't call it an affair, added that he doesn't have any recollection of that time it's really more important in understanding Naruto than Sasuke as far as the story is concerned. As for Anneil, well you've got to keep in mind that she's got her own agenda. Hope that helped.

Chapter Four;

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><p>I remember my first kill in the utmost clearest detail, few of the death's after ever stuck with me the same way as that one had, it haunted me for years to come.<p>

It was at the climax of my Clan training, after I had reached an acceptable level of seal control and martial prowess- under the cover of running an simple errand, delivering a message to one of my older brothers, I undertook my final named test.

My brother was not where I'd been told to deliver the message, a stranger stood where he should have been instead, dressed in hags but bearing the unmistakable eyes of our family.

He smiled at me kindly and told me he was under the command of my brother and offered to receive the message I bore, I refused, he congratulated me on the wisdom of my caution.

I heard the door swing shut behind me from what I could only assume was a gust of wind; reflexively I glanced behind me at the now shut door, when I turned back around the ragged man stood only a foot from me, he grinned widely at me as his fist smashed into my jaw.

The force of the blow, stronger than anything that I'd ever felt, rocked me almost taking my consciousness; I saw the second strike coming and raised my hands in a shocked but acceptable guard, his fist changed angle though faster than I could account for and smashed into my kidneys instead, I coughed up blood as another punch rained down on my right cheek.

Dazed I felt the man gasp my arm and throw me against the wall, I hit the wall hard and couldn't catch myself soon enough to turn before he had me pinned; I felt something, a rope, wrap tightly around my arms restricting my movements and felt the man rip my clothing from me.

I felt something hard press up against my bottom as one of his hands forced my legs apart, I began screaming and he hammered my face against the wall in response.

"I wanna see you face." He whispered into my ear before I was spun around to face him, up close I took in his filthy face and yellow teeth as he reached down to grasp his sex, lining it up.

My higher brain functions shut down at that moment, in my desperate need I resorted to a base primal mode.

I attacked sinking my teeth into the man's filthy exposed throat like a rabid dog, ripping and tearing at his flesh viscously; he was the one who screamed now as I felt rapid sloppy strikes connect with my body.

I pushed forward somehow taking the panicking man's balance and bringing us both to the ground the pain of the collision jolting my teeth painfully but not breaking the death grip I held on the man's gushing throat, I felt my mouth fill with blood but paid it little attention.

Eventually he stopped moving, going cold and lifeless.

One of my brothers found me later crying and covered in someone else's blood, he told me I had passed and then with a sneer of disgust at either my near nudity or the blood insulted me for making such a messy kill.

I had never told Sasuke about this, it wasn't that I was afraid of being open with him but I knew Sasuke well enough to fear what his reaction might be, I had just wanted to forget the Orders and the Clans and live quietly with Sasuke.

Things were different now though, I could forget the injustices of the past when I was with Sasuke, without him though I didn't really have anything to live for…I did however have plenty enough to kill for.

* * *

><p>Naruto gave me a brief description of how Anneil's sisters conducted themselves and organised as we sat sipping coffee, I was anyway Naruto had opted for hot chocolate instead.<p>

"They're all split up into teams of three, no variations. The teams are always made up of three woman each with a specific ability." Explained the blonde, Konoha had no kind of rigid frame work like that.

Myself, Naruto and Sakura had once considered ourselves a team of sorts and Kakashi had acted as a mentor to us, we took missions together and learned hard lessons together becoming almost inseparable, until things had taken a darker twist that is.

There were others like us, with an older experienced warrior taking interest in two or more upstarts and teaching them, the idea of a standard format team was completely alien.

"A specific ability?" I asked, seal abilities varied a lot from person to person but I supposed with Anneil banding together jaded escapees from different Orders it was entirely possible that she could have teams set up like that- but if so then why teams of three, there were five elements in total and there were other abilities like my regeneration or Sharingan, Sakura's healing abilities or Hinata's.

"Yeah, Anneil seems to be able to make three different kinds of seals." Answered Naruto, I hid the shock I felt at this little theory; Seal creation was a very unknown art, we used it but that didn't mean we understood it, in general though the seal's we created were watered down copies of our own.

If I were to create a seal, it wouldn't carry over both of my elemental affinities only one and without years of training which element carried over would be random; Orochimaru had managed to refine a high level regeneration Seal but I'd never discovered how he had accomplished such a deed.

"What are these abilities?" I asked leaning my elbows on the table before me and my chin on the backs of my hands.

"I only know what two of them are." Returned the blonde looking almost guilty, I on the other hand was quite impressed, two out of three wasn't bad and he couldn't possibly have had all that much time to figure them out.

I nodded for the blonde to continue.

"They call them Premonition and Empathy. With Premonition the user can see into the future a couple of seconds, the inexperienced ones only see their deaths before they occur but the more experienced sisters can foresee their teammates deaths reflexively or just call the ability on command. " explained Naruto.

"And the other one, Empathy?" I asked, hopping for a less dangerous ability.

"Mind readers, not perfectly but they can read all your emotions and understand your basic thoughts. For example a relatively experienced sister could tell when you're about to attack, your target and possibly how you'll attack." Responded the Uzumaki taking a large mouthful of his sugary drink.

"Certainly sounds like a dangerous combination." I whispered almost to myself, against that kind of foresight I'd be hesitant to fight one of these groups even if I had someone of Kakashi's calibre with us.

"There's one more thing." Prompted the blonde with a nervous laugh, I let out a deep sigh at yet more good news.

"Go on." I spoke, things were already looking abysmal, unless Naruto was about to tell me all of these sisters were anaemic we were in dangerously far over our heads.

"Well I don't know the third sisters abilities but I do know what they call it." Answered Naruto uncharacteristically hesitant.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Divinity, they call it Divinity." The Uzumaki told me, not once in all of history has there been a report of a Sisters of Helios team captured or killed, there were some stories of single Sisters being killed.

Maybe this was the reason, someone who could see the future may still be killed using enough force the same with a mind reader- a Sister knowing I was about to fire a bullet may still be unable to dodge it- it would be difficult but not impossible; Divinity may not be so simple to deal with though.

I shook my head and gave a small short laugh.

"These odds…it seems just like old times again ne?" take brought a grin to the blonde boys face before he began roaring with laughter catching attention of several people and drawing a few odd looks.

Somehow I wasn't worried about these odds, after all I should have been dead twice over by now even on an immortal's terms.

* * *

><p>"<em>You shouldn't be here." Came the hauntingly weak voice, without unveiling my other eye I couldn't make out the boy's shape in the dark corner but could only trust he lay there from the sound of his faint breaths.<em>

_His words pained my heart a little, as old as he may have been I still couldn't help but see him as the tiny innocent son of my former teacher._

"_I apologise Naruto, I thought you'd appreciate some company." I returned without the usual lightness I'd always used comfortably with him in the past, I couldn't even find it in myself to dredge up a false easiness._

"_I do appreciate the company Kakashi, but he's coming for me, and if you're here when he comes he'll kill you." Explained Naruto coughing weakly at the end of his sentence._

_What do you say to that?_

_That the man you're talking about has no idea where you are despite all his suspicions and impotent attempts to get information, that he wouldn't be able to make it to this room let alone kill me…or that in a matter of days you'll have the demon fox stored in your soul and he'll never be able to free you from that._

"_Do you really believe that?" I asked my mouth dry as I made my way over towards the heap of rags in the corner I knew served as my students bed, I lowered myself onto the grimy ground next to him mindful not to get too close…there were guards watching and they were rather suspicious, I'd rather save Naruto the pain he'd endure if they thought I gave him anything._

"_Of course, he promised he'd be back after all." Answered the former Uzumaki with his old indomitable grin._

"_And if I told you Sakura killed him, or that shell anyway." I responded almost casually._

"_You shouldn't tell lies Kakashi." Shot back Naruto, there was no hesitation or doubt._

"_Why so sure?" I asked an eyebrow raising with the question._

"_My heart's still beating." Came the simple reply._

It honestly frightened me, that determined trust that Naruto had in his friend, but more than that it wounded me- because I knew at some point he must have had some of that same faith in myself, and I had destroyed that all too thoroughly.

I had sat with him in silence for a long time after that, however before I left I gave Naruto the small amount of comfort I could, I told him Sasuke had awakened.

He grinned when I escorted him to the ritual four days later.

He even thanked me.

I took solace in her for the first time that night and I have yet to determine which sin was my greatest.

* * *

><p>There's an odd ache in my body as I approach the front gates of the place I now know is called the Village hidden in the Dream; like a lead weight on my chest it doesn't restrict my breathing, not physically any way but from time to time I had to stop myself from checking for a wound.<p>

I knew what it was of course, the feeling like my heart was reaching out from my chest in search of something; I'd felt it before of course the last time, though it had been different then, as lowly as it sounded back then I had an element of power- I could still see Hinata, protect her if she needed it.

Now it was different, I felt weak and powerless now combined with the emptiness I felt without the Hyuuga princess.

"This is it." I heard Naruto announce almost in a whisper.

"I expected something a little…grander." I commented, my left hand straying to touch my katana hidden in a leather holster slung over my back, sometimes it was only when my body betrayed me like this I actually realised my own feelings, I was nervous…very nervous.

"Well it's a little nicer inside." Offered the Uzumaki scratching the back of his head and tilting his head slightly to the right.

"You sure you want to do this with me?" I asked the blonde as we approached the old style gates of what for all intents and purposes appeared to be a regular convent.

"Don't ask stupid questions Sasuke, let's go." Returned Naruto stepping forward and taking a hold of one of the gates, he turned just long enough to flash me a grin before pushing his way inside.

Shaking my head at our shared madness I pressed forward myself through the plain gateway.

Immediately I felt a tremor race through me as my seals went off in warning, several dozen simply dressed priestesses turned their attentions to me in unison- I had expected a welcome party considering exactly who Anneil was but it was still something else entirely to have this many lethal women glowering at me.

Unbidden I felt my eyes sting and knew they had bleed from ebony to scarlet, the secret ability of my family I knew it wouldn't save me this time if these sisters struck; I had to force the building flames down as my body instinctively sought to take the initiative.

"Welcome, Captain Uchiha." I heard a voice call out, amid all the uniform women it took me a moment to pinpoint the speaker, my pulse ran cold as I took in the slight frame and auburn hair of a ghost from the past.

"Nami…" I whispered, surprise giving way to suspicion as I braced myself for the attack this woman surely represented.

"Surprised? I suppose you should be." No attack came immediately, in fact with the exception of Naruto cocking his head to give me a confused stare- most likely due to how I was addressed- there was no movement.

If anything the silence in the courtyard fuelled my worries.

"I thought you were dead." I stated bluntly, sensitivity wasn't my strong point and at any rate the sisters had likely already decided my fate so it didn't particularly matter what I said.

"So did I. Until the Mistress came to me, and freed me from the barbarians you abandoned me to…" there was a tremor of anger in the woman's voice now as she stepped forward breaking the solid semi-circle that had surrounded me.

In five strides Nami was within arms-reach of me, somewhere in the back of my mind I noted this as my chance to take a hostage and escape, unfortunately it was unlikely to work and in the end I'd be no better off than before.

"Surrender your weapons _Captain_." Cooed the auburn haired woman, something in the way she spat the word 'Captain' making me feel lower than a bottom feeder, out of the corner of my eye I noticed Naruto's left hand twitch slightly, a sign he wasn't particularly comfortable with our situation.

I wondered if all the men and women whom had served under me during Order missions were this bitter, or if it was only the ones who got captured and left behind.

"That's not going to happen." I returned, calmly placing my right hand onto the hilt of my blade, the pressure in the area doubled in intensity.

"You're not in a position to refuse _Uchiha_." Returned the woman, turning her head slightly to give an order- seize him I assumed- I was surprised to find the black iron barrel of a nine millimetre gun press against Nami's head.

"This wasn't the agreement." Naruto's voice was deadly calm, a unique and ominous occurrence.

"We can't allow an armed _ally_ to see the Mistress." Returned Nami, her glaring eyes still pinned on me as she spat out ally.

"Your Mistress can see the future, can she not?" I asked, her brow tightening even further with my choice of words, most cult fanatics tend to get upset if you don't use the definitive article for their religious icon, the messiah, the god, never yours his or hers.

"She is all knowing." Was the answer I received, chanted reverently by all the nearby sisters.

"Then wouldn't she have told you specifically if you needed to take my weapons." I continued, there was silence for several moments before with a flourish of her robes Nami stalked off with a curt 'follow me'.

It was an insignificant victory, but the weight of my weapons still in my possession was a much needed comfort.

* * *

><p>Sorry for the late update, I'm recently recovering from…let's call it heart surgery via my now ex-girlfriend. Any way please leave a review if you've got any comments or questions, I'll do my best to answer them.<p>

R&R


	5. Chapter 5: False Angel

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

A/N- The bonded partner doesn't die, Naruto was just being a romantic. Personally I always thought of that as his strongest characteristic, I mean most of his relationships in the serious are generic beyond belief except for his desperation to get Sasuke back.

Yeah the last chapters opening was a little rough, I knew what I wanted to do with it but damn reading back on it I was definitely channelling some dark mojo or something.

Chapter 5-

* * *

><p>I had been shown to a simple room by one of the sisters, apparently Anneil was currently unavailable and in return for the rude greeting I'd received I was allowed the use of this room to rest.<p>

It was all very suspicious to me.

Naruto had been shown to another room- possibly to be debriefed- I wasn't suspicious of my old friends loyalties but I knew that for some time he had allied himself with these sisters.

Which was a side note that also worried me, Naruto couldn't possibly have found me on his own, likely it had been Anneil and her sisters that had helped him- to go out of their way to have me revived and then greet me with promises of death, it seemed Anneil hadn't lost her touch for baffling and confusing me.

The room I'd been allowed to use had a bathroom attached to it and I decided to take advantage of the fact, taking care to bring my weaponry with me, funny thing about lightning and fire neither is an ideal defence when in a bath of water.

While the water filled the large but simple bathtub I allowed my mind to wonder and drift, it wasn't a task meant to relax me like meditation but one meant to focus myself…or as I sometimes more honestly suspected it was an exercise solely used to torture myself.

_The love of my existence and it isn't you Sasuke! You disgust me._

I sat on the edge of the bath and lay my back against the ceramic wall as those old oft recalled words rang in my mind, I felt my biceps flex- now noticeably larger than they had been before as I returned to my true form- as I banished the thought; there was no good to be had from that particular memory or brooding over it.

A different thought sprang to mind, the image of a blue eyed Hinata, not yet awoken, sitting at her desk in Mason's practice pouting at her phone in a mock glare.

I felt a smile tug at my lips as steam began to fill the room, several other memories came to mind of happier times, a picnic we had one sunny afternoon, a day at the beach, Hinata finding a stray cat…then hiding it from me for about a week.

Another image came to mind poisoning the other happier ones, Hinata a look keenly close to madness in her eyes jamming a cigarette into Itachi's eye…to avenge me. And Madara standing in the background, the puppet master grinning in satisfaction as the twisted scene he'd orchestrated played out before us.

A moment in time danced into my mind, one I'd given little thought to but was now paramount.

Madara stood behind me in the candle lit chamber, runes covered my whole torso, intricate to the point I could barely understand them; they would make up my new seal and I paid them close attention for fear of sabotage, one standing out in particular was a unique seal that represented death I knew only from Madara's diaries.

I excepted the terms he explained that symbol represented, though they proved to be lies after all, I trusted the seal was at least mine and held considerable power- that was all I really cared for at that time, power.

"With this you invite the Devil to brand your soul, and in your hands his power will flow." At the time I thought Madara's words were a simple boast of the seal he had created, that my enemies would fall as if they had been targeted by the devil himself.

To late did I realise the truth, from that moment onward anything that I touched the devil would touch too.

And now Madara had Hinata, and it was my fault.

A barely audible creak snapped me from my dark musings, I narrowed my eyes to get a better view through the steam as I levelled my revolver at the silent figure that had entered into the room.

My breath caught as I took in the long perfect navy hair and pale white eyes as she whispered a soft 'Sasuke' a look of fear and hesitance in her eyes.

"Hinata." I choked my arm dropping automatically, my heart hammered roughly in my chest as my mind tried to process the sight of the former Hyuuga princess, seeing my arm drop though the pale eyed girl wasted no time in dashing forward and wrapping her arms around me in a desperate embrace.

"Madara…Itachi…You." I muttered as she pressed her nose against my collar bone and her forehead against my neck, her soft smooth skin against mine proving her to be no hallucination, the familiar smell of lavender making my head spin wildly.

"Anneil helped me Sasuke. She promised we'd be together again if I joined her. God, Sasuke, I love you!" she flashed me a brilliant smile, tears glittering in the corners of her eyes as she pressed her lips against mine in a desperate and frantic kiss.

Click.

She moved backward slowly a look of hurt confusion on her face, I kept the barrel of my revolver pressed under her chin, my breath coming out in ragged furious gasps.

I saw fear enter her eyes now too as by own stung and bleed to scarlet.

"I won't forgive you." I growled slowly trying to reign in my rage.

"Sas-" she began.

"Shut your mouth Bitch." I roared my control slipping for a moment as a spark of lightning danced along my arm, the urge to incinerate or electrocute this monster before me becoming near unbearable.

She trembled in fear and tears began to dribble from her eyes, my glare hardened in burning hatred.

"Drop it, now." I spoke my tone barely under my control.

"Drop what, Sasuke I j-" this time she was cut off by the deafening retort of my gun, the large calibre bullet tearing its way into her shoulder; she yelped stumbling backward in pain as the knife she had been holding fell to the tiled floor.

The next round slid into place and I took a step forward as the woman scrambled backward, muttering the words 'how could you?' over and over; her back hit the far wall and I couched beside her a dark malicious grin reflecting back at me in her eyes.

I aimed my weapon toward her heart.

"The taste." I said simply as her brow drew tight in confusion, I decided to elaborate.

"You had everything else perfect, even her scent. But when you kissed me you gave yourself away." I explained, grabbing a nearby towel and tossing it to the woman for her leaking shoulder.

"Who sent you?" I asked, no compassion in my voice.

"Nobody, you bastard. This is personal." Grunted the woman dropping whatever illusion she had conjured, white eyes became honey brown and blue-black hair turned dirty blonde.

I looked into the harsh twisted face of the sister I had tortured to death on Orochimaru's orders.

"I'm not going to kill you now. But if I meet you again, your life will end…permanently." I would have killed her there and then except that it would probably sour the uneasy truce I had with the Sisters.

She crawled to her feet and stopped only for a moment at the doorway.

"You deserve to burn in hell Uchiha." Were the woman's parting words before she disappeared through the doorway.

* * *

><p>Sometimes I blamed the Hyuuga for everything that had happened.<p>

She had been the catalyst that had broken our team apart, the night Sasuke had been taken by the Hokage I had felt nothing but pride for him; I had always tried to ingrain in him that our comrades were the most important thing and he proved to me that he took this lesson to heart.

I blamed myself and the Hyuuga that night, her for obvious reasons and myself because I hadn't correctly taught the Orders ways to my students; I had focused to much on my own foolish opinions.

If I had been less focused on camaraderie and teamwork and had taught my students to trust in their Kage then all three of them would still likely still be with me now.

Sasuke had been sacrificed, and my remaining students fell apart at the seams; they died soon afterwards and I was left alive, and alone.

It was quite the shock to discover all three of them as children, together; it was a moment of immense joy for me where I naively believed that soon I'd have my team back with me; of course I hadn't been amused when she appeared, watching them too and I suspected planning the future chaos.

Of course everything didn't go to plan, I'd been away on a mission when Sakura had awoken and had been horrified when I returned, especially when I saw the terrible state she had left Sasuke in.

The Hokage refused to take the appropriate actions, the fact that Sakura had been driven mad in such a way was already a gross mistake but to allow her to remain in such an unstable condition was beyond unacceptable.

Naruto defected and was quickly captured, though I couldn't bring myself to blame him, after all he too was only following the creed I had taught him, the Hokage once again took a disproportionately harsh stance against my student- using a form of punishment typically reserved for war criminals.

I was convinced the Hokage had went off the deep end but was resolved to fix things through the Orders laws as I should have taught my students to do, I tried my best for my students going so far as to beg before the council for a less severe punishment for Naruto and trying my utmost to reign in Sakura and keeping her from doing anything her true self would regret.

And then Sasuke left, the Hyuuga in tow and I received a promise that kept me loyal to the Order.

The Hokage would forgive my student if I brought him back myself and as an added bonus I was allowed to murder the woman who had torn our team apart, no our family.

Now things were different though, two students were out there somewhere and I was being asked to drag them back in chains under the command of a sociopath.

I was drawn from my thoughts by Sakura setting a cup of tea onto the coffee table before me.

"Something bothering you Kakashi?" asked the girl confused.

I made a loosely worded excuse about my latest assignment being difficult and distracting me.

* * *

><p>Madara was missing again.<p>

From time to time he tended to disappear from whatever safe house we occupied, usually not a word of warning and only a small message the other times- he insisted that these trips he took had to be taken alone when I called him on it after the first time.

He always came back with new information though, good information too that allowed us to move on to our next target.

The safe house I was in at the moment was less of a house and closer to being the skeleton of one; the roof had collapsed in the two bedrooms on the south facing side of the house and the water didn't run in the kitchen, as it was I was camping in what appeared to once be the living room of the building.

At the moment I stood in the 'rustic' bathroom my shirt- a deep royal blue article that had once been Sasuke's- sitting in my lap as I tried to angle a small mirror with my left hand to get a somewhat decent look at my right shoulder.

For the last several days there had been an odd ache centred around my freshest seal, the elegant dark swirls that flowed together in the image of an angelic wing appeared in the small mirror, a sharp contrast against my pale skin, I was relieved to see nothing appeared off visually at least with my seal.

It was a beautifully designed seal but I was thankful that it was on my back as opposed to somewhere it could easily be seen; it was different than his, softer lines compared to the harsh aggressive calligraphy of his own, but it was still a painful reminder.

Idly my thumb traced my third seal, an old gift from Anneil, it was a unique gift to say the least; it's abilities were unheard of within the Orders and perhaps more dangerous than any of the Orders manufactured abilities- amazing too was the tattoo, the visual representation of the seals existence, while it had been a pale white swallow when I first gained it over the years as I gained greater control of the visions it had darkened to pitch black.

Redressing myself I glanced into the large stained mirror mounted onto the opposite wall of the room; I sneered as I took in the shoulder length tangled greasy hair, the dark bags lining my eyes and the jagged scar on the bottom of my left cheek running perpendicular to my jaw design.

I felt oddly self-conscious.

It was the latest in a number of strange feelings I'd been having over the past few days; accompanying the prickling in my seal's and the odd bout of self-consciousness there was what should have been an unnerving feeling of someone's presence, not watching over me but lingering in the background, that somehow reassured me.

I smashed my fist into the large mirror, cracks erupting outward like a spiders web; now several women stared back at me, their eyes glaring hellfire and lips parted in ragged sharp breaths.

Someone was getting to me and I had no idea how, I'd have to ask Madara.

* * *

><p>"How'd you sleep?" asked the blonde barging into my room the next morning, I cast my gaze up from the knife I'd been examining to greet my friend.<p>

"I didn't, you?" I responded, returning my gaze to the blade in my hand, the would be assassin's blade appeared simple enough but several odd runes scored onto the blade intrigued me.

I wasn't quite certain but it seemed the runes on the blade where fairly simple cut, slash, sharpness though they were slightly different than the standard Order style or Madara's personal dialect.

It was the runes on the handle that were particular though, once I unwrapped the cloth covering them; leech, drain and steal.

"Like a baby." He answered with a light hearted laugh, somehow I doubted his words though; his shoulders were slumped and his normally energetic blue eyes were drooping.

"How much longer until I meet with the queen bee?" I asked, the frustration I felt not shining through in my voice.

"Not long at all really, right now actually if you're ready for it." Replied the Uzumaki, sitting next to me, his eyes held a questioning light that made me pause and remain sitting myself.

"You've got questions?" I asked, feeling selfish now as I realised I hadn't actually explained what I was planning or do anything but demand answers for my own questions; he answered with a small nod and a deep breath.

"What are you so eager to learn from Anneil?" he questioned.

"I need to find someone." I answered, purposefully vague, the blondes eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Is revenge on Madara Uchiha that important to you? One miss step and these sisters will tear you apart." continued Naruto, reclining where he had sat on the rooms plain bed in a false show of nonchalance.

"It's not Madara who I'm looking for." I answered sliding my katana into place on the back side of my belt, a little care and my long jacket would keep the blade from view; the Uzumaki on the bed released an unusually terse sigh before sitting up and fixing me with a look that spoke of pained disappointment, I broke the gaze and turned away.

"It's her isn't it." He asked, I rose from the bed tense.

"Thank you, Naruto. I'll go on from here alone." I thanked my friend, if it weren't for the Uzumaki I wouldn't have been brought back, I owed him a lot; I couldn't drag him into my next battle.

"That's not, Sasuke I'm coming with you, even if I don't agree with your motives." Spluttered Naruto springing from the bed and grabbing a hold of my shoulder.

I brushed his hand from my shoulder, fixing him a hard look of my own.

"I'm going up against an immortal, and not just any immortal Naruto." I growled lowly, I refused to put my closest friend in such danger.

"I don't care Sasuke, if he's your enemy then he's mine too." Returned the blonde, closing some of the distance between us; we stood face to face, glaring into one another's eyes waiting for the other to back down.

"That immortal is a threat to the person you love, what are you going to do." Asked Naruto, his gaze softening for a second; I didn't doubt it took something precious out of him to admit I loved Hinata.

"I'm going to kill him, whatever it takes." 'and take back my love' was the addition I spoke only in my mind.

"Then don't ask me to act any differently bastard." He demanded, and for a brief moment he pulled me into an embrace, it was awkward and terse- an intense desperation radiating from his body that worried me- then he released me and strode easily to the door, his previous tension seemingly evaporated completely.

"Let's go then." He announced jubilantly an easy grin spread across his face.

I had to pause for a moment and massage the bridge between my eyes, and control my growing worries, since I had woken nothing had been like it was supposed to be and I couldn't seem to get a grip on anything; I feared I was once again simply being strung along by someone else's designs and plots.

* * *

><p>The prophet surprised me; I expected to be led into an elaborately decorated throne room and have my consolation with Anneil before dozens of her followers, instead Naruto led me to a small study with only a pair of sisters standing guard at the entrance.<p>

Stepping into the room I hid my surprise as I took in the blonde demi God, clothed in the same style as her followers, sitting elegantly in a royal blue arm chair; she fixed me with a smile that seemed almost genuine, I raised an eyebrow at her expression.

"You're looking well Uchiha, won't you take a seat? You too Naruto." The compliment fell on deaf ears and I remained standing although Naruto accepted the offer easing himself into one of the seats across from her and helping himself to a handful of candy something's from a bowl on the coffee table.

"Better than most dead men I suppose." I answered slipping the knife I had taken from the sister last night from my belt and tossing it flippantly onto the coffee table.

"You didn't kill one of my daughters to get this did you?" she asked me with what seemed like concern, I was not impressed.

"You know exactly what happened." I answered my voice edged with impatience.

"I suppose I do. But it's still polite to ask." Came the flippant reply from the powerful woman as she calmly plucked the knife from the coffee table, she held it casually before her- taking a moment to eye the condition of the blade- until with a condescending glint in her eyes she shot me a smile with a raised eyebrow.

"Is this knife really what you wanted to ask me about Uchiha?" she asked placing the knife back onto the coffee table.

"Naruto led me to believe you wanted to speak with me." I answered, I was being more hesitant than I usually would, but Anneil wasn't the type I could threaten information out of; before I started asking my own questions it would be best to investigate what her interest was in me.

"Being a patient boy I see. Tell me Uchiha, Madara, did he ever tell you about my prophesy?" asked the blonde woman, reclining back deeper into her chair, crossing her legs and laying her hands on top of her knee.

"He never mentioned a prophesy, no." I answered, when I had been somewhat in league with Madara he had told me about Anneil- whom I had only met once before at that point, when Hinata and I had been on the run she'd came to offer Hinata sanctuary- he had explained what he knew about her abilities as a prophet but never anything about an important prophesy.

Apparently Anneil was insistent on playing dumb, she should have known the extent of my knowledge.

"Well, I'll explain it to you then. While I may always be able to glimpse the future at will this prophesy was different, it came to me and it was far less clear than my normal visions; in fact it wasn't a vision at all, only a couple of sentences." Explained Anneil her voice smooth in a way that made me suspect she had rehearsed the words she now spoke.

"And what is this prophesy, and why should I care?" I asked, in response the blonde woman reached into her left sleeve and withdrew a small scroll, tossing it to me in her distinctly graceful way.

I unrolled the scroll as Naruto hopped up from his seat to get a look of his own at the mysterious prophesy; the pen strokes were sharp and violent but the words clear enough.

'The Demon from the Fire will slay its false family before being bathed by its own flames, from the ashes the Demon will rise to kill the Master of the Black Flames.'

"And what does this mean to me." I asked Anneil returning the scroll to her and finally taking a seat across from the powerful woman.

"Master of the Black Flames is an old name of Madara's." answered the prophet, that much I had understood on my own though, if Madara had death coming to him I certainly wasn't upset but there had to be more to it.

"You think I'm this demon don't you?" I asked, watching as her eyes lit up and her smile widened.

"Good for you boy, I thought I'd have to spell it out for you." Anneil complimented me, in her own way.

"Why so sure?" I asked sceptically, I understood that the Fire was a reference to Konoha, but as for a false family.

"Naruto dear, who killed you in your last life?" asked the blonde prophet turning her gaze from me to my comrade, Naruto seemed to choke for a moment before coughing up an excuse, primarily composed of stammers about how that was the most merciful course.

"Forget the semantics Naruto, he killed you, Kakashi Hatake and Sakura Haruno, who killed them?" asked Anneil returning her gaze back to me, I didn't respond.

"And Hinata?" she added.

There was a crack as the coffee table cracked and splintered beneath my fist into nothing more than kindling, my eyes stung and I felt my blood roaring in my ears.

I didn't miss the momentary look of shock and fear that invaded Anneil's features.

"So I'm destined to kill Madara, I don't care. All I want to know is where Hinata is, nothing else matters." I spoke my voice more even than I expected it to be.

"One comes with the other Uchiha." She answered cryptically.

"And what does that mean?" I asked in response my eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Madara has had his clutches on her foolish boy, he's already corrupted my connection to her; the girl's seal knowledge has never been her strong point, most likely he has some fail safe in place for your return. He does after all know of the prophesy." Answered the woman, superiority painted across her face.

"That's a possibility, you want me to kill Madara then?" I asked lightly.

"It would be in your best interest Uchiha." She returned, somehow seeming uncomfortable with my words.

"You can't predict my future can you?" I asked watching the look of superiority fade from her features.

"Excuse me Uchiha?" there was a fire in her voice that confirmed my accusation.

"You've only ever read my future when Hinata or someone else was with me. I'm ashamed I didn't notice it before really, what did he do to you?" I asked leaning forward as Anneil seemed to try and move further back into her seat now looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"What are you talking about Uchiha?" she asked, desperation filtering into her tone that I could only attribute to her having rarely been caught off guard before.

"It's your own fault, you forced me to look at you with the Sharingan twice." I returned allowing my eyes to fade to black as I finally seemed to gain a measure of control over the conversation.

"You can't poss-" I cut her off raising my hand to stop her.

"The shade of your eyes, the angle of your nose is also different and you've got a mole on your neck that wasn't there last time." I spoke slowly watching as Anneil paled with each word.

"You're a body snatcher aren't you? There's only two sisters outside, the third one- the one with so called 'Divinity'- you're occupying her body aren't you; and you've altered it to be almost identical to your past form." I spoke, out of the corner of my eyes I saw Naruto's eyes widen in shock.

"The runes in the knife also play a part don't they, transmitters maybe, but certainly they must support you somehow; taking energy and life from your followers." I continued rising from my seat as I spoke.

"You can't help me after all; but thank you, for telling me about this prophesy Madara fears so much." I spoke making my way towards the doorway, disappointment in my heart, Anneil through her actions had admitted her inability to predict Madara or anyone bearing a seal of his design.

"Jeffery Masters." She called before I reached the door way, Naruto trailing behind a look of contemplation on his face.

"Excuse me?" I turned to face the downcast prophet.

"Jeffery Masters, he's a high ranking member of an Arms company in America, Madara has been in contact with him." Anneil spoke in little more than a whisper now, some inner sense however told me she wasn't finished.

"Let me see the seal he gave you, Uchiha." She ordered standing and striding across to me, I hesitated to reveal what I considered as a mark of shame, she caught the hesitance.

"Please, Naruto would you mind waiting outside." The blonde immediately began to protest at the prophets suggestion, but a nod from me and a quiet please killed his protests and he left the room, stopping for only a moment to give Anneil what I thought was a warning glare.

I removed my shirt, feeling unnaturally self-conscious as Anneil examined my seals, slowly she reached out to touch my clan seal; I caught her wrist just before she could touch my seal.

"What are you doing?" I asked, noting how strangely fragile the powerful woman's wrist felt in my grasp.

"I need to touch them." She answered meeting my gaze with what seemed like an honest look of her own, I released the pressure of my grip and she pressed forward touching my seal.

I felt little more than a tingle.

I opened my mouth to voice my confusion but quickly shut it again as she slipped closer to me sliding her hand up my back to the Seal Madara had given me, our faces were only inches apart now and my earlier confusion was quickly replaced by discomfort.

"You're dying." She whispered before pulling away.

"What?" I asked quickly pulling my shirt back on.

"Your Seal's have been poisoned. They're rotting." She elaborated.

"I see." I answered calmly, though inside I was less than calm about the latest development in my situation, a silence hung between us as the woman returned to her chair.

"Madara and I were lovers. That's how he knows about the prophesy, I warned him of it. I used to see us in you and Hinata." Spoke the prophet before with a shudder her hair faded to brown and her features altered slightly, the woman Anneil had been possessing blinked up at me in confusion.

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><p>And that is it for this chapter, let me know what you guys think of the story so far and don't hesitate with any questions you may have I'm happy to answer them all.<p>

R&R


	6. Chapter 6: Torn Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Chapter 6-

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><p>It's raining outside I note dully, in a rare instance I want to simply roll over and go back to sleep, my minds at rest and I don't feel the incessant pull of insomnia, it helps that the sheets smell just like her.<p>

Speaking of which I feel the bed dip slightly as she climbs back in beside me, cuddling up against my chest in an adorable way I would have never guessed possible of her whilst muttering in a sleepy slur that it was too early; I chuckled and added my agreement pulling her closer, or at least trying to.

We lay in quite contentment for fifteen maybe twenty minutes before she spoke again, giving my chin a small nudge first to see if I was awake and giggling about how I needed a shave.

"So what do you think my brothers will do to you if they find out about this?" she asking cracking a grin at me with one eye still shut.

"Well, they can't really get that upset, they have arranged our bonding after all." I answered cracking an eye open myself.

"You're still breaking tradition, that'd probably get you killed, they're strict you know. The big question of course is if I would be worth it." She asked me with a playful grin sitting up in the bed, I followed suit sliding myself up against the headboard and wrapping an arm around her shoulders I pulled her into a half embrace.

"Definitely worth it, I want to wake up like this every morning from now on Hanabi, till the end of time." I told her honestly, she smiled her private smile- the one she only showed me- and whispered a soft 'me too'.

I caught her lips in a soft kiss.

Then the door of the hotel room cracked, splintered and crumbled; as Hanabi and I made desperate dives for the weapons that on any other morning we would have had in arms reach a tall pale man with long greasy black hair stepped into the room and snarled my name.

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><p>I darted awake, breathing heavily with the sheets bunched up in my fists tightly, my bare chest shun slick with sweat and for a moment my vision was badly blurred- like it had been without my glasses before my seals were released.<p>

I saw a familiar figure though blurred sitting at the foot of my bed and my heart seemed to seize up as I heard their voice break the silence.

"What is Madara's goal Sasuke?" My vision cleared a second later and they were gone, not even a crease in the sheets where they had sat; I didn't waste time scrambling from the bed quickly a revolver in hand I'd grabbed reflexively when I'd seen the figure, I checked the window, the hallway outside and even the bathroom in my desperate haste.

The light went on and a sleepy Naruto blinked up at me in confusion, panted covered in sweat and frantically darting around the room in search of a phantom.

"The hell's going on Sasuke?" he asked grabbing a weapon of his own on seeing my manic state, I took a deep breath to calm myself and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

"I saw Itachi." I answered, watching as the shock flared to life in his blue eyes before it gave way to worry.

"Sasuke…Itachi's dead, you said it yourself." He answered moving over to my side and placing what I assumed was supposed to be a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"I know, but…" I trailed off not exactly certain what to say, between Naruto and myself I was meant to be the sceptic.

"Maybe he came back to see you, you can't be the only one in the family to achieve miracles." Offered the blonde with a smile releasing my shoulder.

'No, he was giving me advice.' I thought to myself, keeping my own council, while Naruto would believe me about seeing a dead man he may become far more worried if I mentioned that the dead man was giving me advice…and I was going to heed it, Madara was insane but there was always a method to his madness.

"You know next time we're getting separate rooms, I need my beauty sleep you know." Mumbled the Uzumaki reclining back on the bed and stretching like a lethargic cat, I gave him an amused glace one eyebrow arched.

"Separate rooms, Naruto, we couldn't even afford a room with two beds." I responded…it had not been a fun night, even before I got to sleep I had the enjoyment of discovering that Naruto was a horribly clingy and cuddly sleeper.

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><p>"Morning Kakashi." Greeted my chirpy student, sitting I noted as far away as possible from the lime green garbed master and student combo who grinned cheerfully as well and greeted me with thumps up.<p>

"Isn't it wonderful my rival, your student shall be joining us in hunting down the traitors of Konoha." Announced the older of the two men making his way over to me, I narrowed my one free eye and made a small hand gesture for him to follow; I led Gai out of the room and out of ear shot before I turned back to him furious.

"What do you think you're pulling Gai, the Hokage-" I began only to be cut off the man I had planned on scolding and possibly hitting; he wore an almost slimy look of superiority that immediately told me that he knew something that I did not.

"The Hokage ordered this, Kakashi." He told me, voice condescending; as ever the maniac had no idea what was actually going on around him, this was just a challenge he had beaten me in- I fought the urge to drive his face into the floor and explain that this was my students sanity, not some stupid game to prove who was the better dog of Konoha.

"Why?" I settled on, my voice tight and terse as I struggled to keep it controlled, why send Sakura on an extermination mission- she was a healer not an assassin- why risk the memories returning and her becoming a mad woman again.

"The Lady Hokage wishes to test your student, you should be proud, if you've taught her the will of fire correctly she will take out the threat to Konoha." He returned before stepping back into the room, to plot the next area we would search for my missing students and the Hyuuga in I supposed.

I leaned against one of the walls for support feeling suddenly exhausted, I slid down the wall leaning my head back against the wall I tried to calm my storming emotions and marshal control of my thoughts, it was not an easy task.

Was I like that, I wondered to myself for a moment; so blindly loyal to Konoha that I would do any vile act to benefit it and only ever blame those I commit those acts on- no sympathy for their suffering or pain simply because they disagreed with Konoha's will of fire or believed a different creed.

Hunting down old friends because they couldn't stand killing in divinities name any longer- I had been exactly like Gai before; Sakura wandered out to me after a few moments when I failed to return to the briefing room, I couldn't bring myself to meet her eyes.

"Are you okay Kakashi?" she asked softly easing herself down beside me, I ignored the scent of strawberries that threatened to overcome my common sense.

How had it started again; you came to me and demanded it the first time, you said you were bored and made threats to me, to ensure my compliance…but when did I start seeking you out for comfort; when did I cross that line.

"You shouldn't be here Sakura." I muttered shutting my eyes, I felt your hand on my shoulder and reflexively shrugged it off, you'd miss interpet the reaction or at least I hoped you would.

"I know you didn't want me taking any hunter missions, but you need a medic on this mission and I'm the best available." She continued trying to rationalise the situation to me, I would have been against Sakura taking a hunting mission in the first place- hunting down a former companion took something precious from the soul that was impossible to reclaim- but this hunting mission was absolutely the worst possible for her.

"Whoever the mark is, they've betrayed Konoha, Kakashi. I won't hesitate to kill them when the time comes." She finished, I waited until she left before I let out the bitter laughter that had threatened to break free, if I were a betting man I'd put my money on Sakura doing just the opposite.

It left me in a unique position though, my boys would be an even match for the Green beasts of Konoha and if Sakura joined them they would likely win; but I could change that outcome, if I fought loyally as a soldier of Konoha then I may soon have to murder all three of my students…or I could…

My thoughts trailed off as I forced the traitorous notions to the back of my mind and returned to the meeting room.

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><p>I remember the first time I died, I'm not sure why maybe it's nostalgia after all regular people are supposed to reflect on their lives when the end is near so why shouldn't I too- though I would probably need another lifetime just to reflect completely.<p>

I wasn't easy to kill, I had discovered early on that I was incapable of burning- to the point that my skin wouldn't even tan and I remained always pale after my seals were released- fire would just glance and slide off my skin like the soft caress of a woman- though I had discovered it was only skin deep this immunity; I could sear a wound shut and fire could damage parts of me, the eyes being particularly vulnerable.

It was an experiment in how my lightning operated that killed me.

It is well documented in Konoha the forms Fire takes within us.

The Uchiha fire was created internally and expelled from the user at his discretion, the control we had of it was limited and without the aid of runes to manipulate the fire further we could do little more than coat a limb in flames or throw a ball of fire; it sometimes manifested itself in others outside of the Uchiha but it was rare.

The Hyuuga flame was more bizarre, allowing the users to effect and control air currents, bursts of air capable of splitting skulls and stopping bullets were at the beck and call of advanced practitioners; though few actually knew that the Hyuuga effected the air, it was a close guarded secret.

The medical techniques of Konoha were also seeped in mystery, while the Uchiha summoned fire was a faithful rendition of actual fire the flames summoned my medics did not burn those it touched, instead it sealed wounds- not in the same painful manner I had adapted- and burned infection from the body.

Those were the three real aspects of Fire Seals though many didn't have an actual physical manifestation; Seals from Konoha were also supposedly more offense based and if you asked the right nutcase or loyal dog of the Order you would also be told of the will of Fire; a supposedly mythical strength that came out in those with a Konoha seal that manifested itself when you fought your hardest for the Order of Fire.

We didn't know a whole lot about how the elements in other Order's Seals worked except the obvious, Earth seals made users more resilient, the Metal Element seals could produce immense speed as a standard and as I learned allow control of lightning and magnetism.

My lightning did not work like my Fire however, it was produced internally too but I wasn't unaffected by it, rather if I came into contact with electricity my body would absorb it; it was a trade off in that I could boost my prowess with an outside energy source but too much electricity would overwhelm my body and if not stopped kill me.

I wasn't actually sure about how much it would take, I wasn't exactly lucid during the testing, all I really remembered was a bizarre combination of numbness and pain switching over and back until eventually it ended; the memory wasn't clear anymore it was so old.

But the memory did give me an idea.

Madara wouldn't be effected my traditional means, most old ones were not, but this wasn't because he was intangible; no I had seen the truth, whenever a bullet or other project hit him the wound healed almost as quickly as it was caused, and there was a flicker of black flames that was almost too quick to see; I suspected that the black flames he used were duel natured and could be used as both an upgraded form of the Uchiha fire attacks and an upgraded form of the healing flames.

According to Anneil's prophesy I was the only one capable of killing him, and as far as I knew I was the only person capable of using the black flame technique, Amaterasu; it stood to reason that an overdose of the black fire might be capable of killing him then...unless the fire just glanced off him, in which case I was royally fucked.

I had only heard of the deaths of two old ones in history; the first was the Original Kage of the Fire, he supposedly was assassinated by the Second Kage of the Earth Order though the story varies the bones of the tale say that the battle was interrupted by an earthquake and the Earth Kage managed to crush and bury him inside the rift; the second old one was Heihatchi Hyuuga who met his end at Madara's hands, or so the bastard claimed anyway, supposedly he destroyed the man's mind with an illusion technique: Tsukuyomi, his body with the black flames: Amaterasu and then his soul with a third technique.

Somehow I doubted I'd be able to use an earthquake or anything of the sort to my advantage, and while I could use the Amaterasu well enough my Tsukuyomi was a pale comparison to what I'd seen Madara's do, I wasn't even sure if I had inherited the third technique though I should have as a seal contained all of the creators abilities.

My only chance would be an overdose of Amaterasu proving fatal to the 'Master of Black Flames'…I suppose if this was a story then it would be a fitting way for the man to die; I was filled with worry though, the vision I had seen during my awakening playing on my mind, the black flames had consumed everything but myself and Madara.

But that was just my mind playing tricks on me I told myself, it didn't really have any relevance to my actual situation.

I rose from the seat I had been occupying rubbing my eyes tiredly, I hadn't been able to sleep since I had seen Itachi and had spent the night obsessing over what I knew of Madara and a possible weakness, I hadn't been able to put Itachi's advise to much use.

I wasn't ready to write Madara off as a force of nature, unpredictable, I knew he had to have a plan or some grand design; but it was beyond me.

To many things didn't add up, why an interest in an American arms company, more importantly why the interest in Hinata, why go to such elaborate lengths to kill me, why hunt down Itachi…was it all just lunacy or was I missing something, I feared only time would tell.

I almost choked when I heard Naruto, still sleeping, mutter my name- an emotion both foreign and unwelcome flooded my system and caused my stomach to knot painfully.

I would have to find a way to keep him away from my confrontation with Madara.

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><p>And that's all folks, hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll hopefully have more up soon. Any and all questions are welcome.<p>

R&R


	7. Chapter 7: Breaking Angel

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Sorry for the wait but I've been working flat out with course work and my free time has been few and far inbetween.

As for some shameless self promotion I'd like to draw my readers attention to my story new **Fading**, if you like my style then I'm sure you'll enjoy it; it's sadly doing very poorly in the hits department and could use some love.

Littlewitch88- Well personally I would say that he's recalling Hanabi since he's expecting to die soon, the rest I can't really comment on I'm afraid...spoilers and all you know, but don't be so down things will pick up before the end.

Chapter 7-

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><p>I blinked slowly taking a moment to process the neon green numbers on the bedside clock, I languish slid into a sitting position tossing the rumpled covers to the foot of the bed; I lay my head in my hands for a moment, sweat glistened on my chest and my joints feeling overstretched- two hours sleep, that was better than usual.<p>

I quietly made my way over to the cramped hotel rooms small balcony, it felt stuffy in here and I wanted some fresh air; the door squeaked softly as I pulled it open, my roommate was thankfully absent.

We had tracked down Jeffery Masters, he was in this hotel's best suite actually, Naruto and I had already decided that we couldn't directly confront this man, if we were careful instead of just gaining information we would have Madara too.

Naruto was on surveillance at the moment, he'd insisted that I'd needed to rest.

The cold air stung my bare skin and I blinked the remaining sleep from my eyes, it was that same nightmare again, my worst- most horrible in it's being more of a memory than a simple imagined dream; I griped the railing tightly and heard a low growl escape my throat.

I pushed the grim thoughts to the back of my mind.

A second shadow joined mine on the balcony, I did not turn to face the spectre, I gripped the steel of the railing harder and tried to will my new companion away.

It didn't work, really it never could have and I should have known that by now.

"Why are you running from it Sasuke?" the voice was colder than I remembered, but then again I realised it's not really your voice is it, just a figment of my ever growing madness- whether brought to life by the corruption of my seals or simply a long overdue snapping of my sanity I neither knew nor cared.

"I'm running from nothing." I bit out forcefully.

"Oh yes you are, why did you seek revenge against Konoha?" she didn't sound pleased with me, personally I couldn't care less, and I had no intention of fuelling my madness but somehow I still felt compelled to answer, they may only be a figment of my imagination but I still couldn't bring myself to ignore them.

"They forced me to kill Hinata, is that not enough of a reason?" I asked in turn, I should have ignored the phantom, it was painfully obvious what it was trying to do, what I was trying to use it to do subconsciously.

"I see, and did your intelligence drop severely since we parted ways?" she shot back aggressively.

"Excuse me?" somewhere in the back of my mind a switch had flicked off and I was no longer worrying about indulging my madness or even moderating it.

"You're pragmatic to a fault Sasuke, you didn't try to avenge me did you- you protected Hinata like I asked- so why attack Konoha when you knew she'd be reborn, that the more you targeted Konoha the more dangerous it would be in the future for her." She explained.

"It was different." I ground out, the appearance my new found madness had adopted was beginning to matter little, this was a touchy subject even for her.

"It was, you had less of a reason, unless you're not telling me something." she asked leaning forward.

"…Hanabi, don't make me say this." I begged finally using her name, I didn't want this- I just wanted Hinata back that was all…a little peace and happiest before the corruption claimed me.

I did not want to become a homicidal maniac thanks to the urgings of some phantom madness.

"You need this Sasuke, the man who played punching bag and guardian for my sister is not going to kill Madara, the one who betrayed and killed one of the most powerful rouges in the world, no crippled an entire order and wounded another. So say it, bring back that man. The monster." She pushed, I fought the memories- this was the one memory that could, no would push me over the edge, I'd only survived by partitioning my mind and keeping it hidden.

"I…She…was." I began, I could already feel a fire seeping through my veins, barriers were dropping- important restraints that prevented madness…complete fury.

"Say it Sasuke." Her hand was on my skin now, her eyes were riveted on mine.

The cheap steel of the balcony snaps beneath the pressure of my grip, I release what can only be called a strangled growl.

"She was pregnant." I whispered, I'd only realised after I'd killed her, Madara had pointed it out to me; it had been something I couldn't rationalise to myself, it changed everything; I couldn't survive and reunite with Hinata after that.

Konoha forced me to do that, Madara could have prevented it, I could found another way; we were to blame.

Hanabi was gone, faded into the night and I was alone.

I had wanted to die, but I couldn't so I settled for the next best thing killing, when Hinata had come back I managed to lose myself in her for a while, I was still trying to now; it had been my greatest failing and something that filled me with self-loathing.

The thought was out in the open now, this was why I could protect Hinata but not be with her, I would kill Madara even if I had to die to do it.

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><p>You would have liked it here I thought, you always had your heart set in this period we had left far behind us, the old cobblestones of the castle weren't the original for the most part despite the claims made by the profiteers, I would know I had been here before once many years ago.<p>

We're here after your brother Satoshi, the one who had ruled and voted for Hanabi's execution I believe; I'm here with Madara of course, he's been rather short tempered lately though he refuses to tell me why, sometimes it almost even seems as if he's nervous.

"He has guards, I'll handle them while you take Satoshi." Explained the Ancient, it surprised me even a little now the dispassionate way he spoke about his other sons, even with the betrayal it seemed inhuman to have such a hatred of his own flesh and blood; I kept my own council about such thoughts though especially with his current mood.

"What's his seal level?" I asked my mind also focused on business, more so than usual, this man played a part in both my husband's misery and my sisters execution, I had no sympathy for this man whatsoever.

"Five, he's not the clan head currently so he won't have the associated Seal." Answered Madara fluidly navigating the halls and leading us deeper into the lower chambers of the castle, at least that proved that it couldn't be this mission that had the immortal so panicked, a seal level twice that wouldn't even warrant the kind of tension that seemed piled on his shoulders.

Madara doesn't notice the shadow that joins ours, I don't point it out to him.

"You've become quite the bully." You comment with a laugh, you've been doing that a lot lately, I like to think it's because I've taken so much weight off your soul.

"Not really, we'll be out numbered. Besides weren't you always the one who insisted it was pragmatism not bullying." I returned, lightly causing you to laugh again, sometimes I wondered if dying hadn't made you go a little crazy, it didn't bother me too much though.

"You still haven't told him about me I see." You commented, now on my right hand side, as usual I hadn't even seen you move.

"He wouldn't really understand." I shot back pouting, Madara turned to me and I realised that I must have spoken aloud, he didn't question me though.

You've disappeared again, you never stay long, you could never last long enough for me; but you stay a little longer each time, the more evil I take from the world the more you come to me- like the world is righting itself bit by bit.

And soon the world would be just a little more right.

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><p>What do you do when the only way you can think of to save someone forces you to betray them deeply.<p>

If there was a God they seemed to certainly enjoy posing this question to me.

The pretty redhead smiled at me from across the room as the barman pointed me out, she raised the pink drink in thanks, I raised my own in turn allowing a small smirk to grace my features.

Flirting with a bimbo…this was one of the few things that made we wish I was back up in my room going mad as I hallucinated under the effects of Seal corruption.

All the more reason for the act though, if I didn't stop him Madara would corrupt Hinata's Seals too, or he may already have…I'd prefer not to consider such an outcome though.

"Still the lady-killer I see." Chuckled Naruto from beside me, I thought he made a ridiculous sight in his orange and white striped shirt but I was less inclined to comment on his poor taste than before...another way things had become weird between us.

"People never change, it's always the same old song and dance." I pointed out, we were trained in this kind of thing, it was a routine; a secret dance that got you whatever you needed, even better it was always the exact same.

"Are you sure she's close enough to him?" asked the blonde, we'd kept quite a distance from Masters for fear of Madara noticing our presence, it made it difficult to select the right person.

"She's our best opportunity, is the bug operational?" I asked drumming my fingers of the wood of the bar- believe it or not Naruto was rather adept with technology- from the corner of my eye I saw her move, a carefully practiced swinging of the hips my conformation she'd bought the bait.

"As long as it doesn't get wet we're good." Answered my comrade handing me the pendent and moving away with a falsely easy wink just as the red head sat next to me; I pocketed it and turned my attention towards the woman next to me.

"Thank you, for the drink." She offered- good I thought- the voice was low and raspy, completely unlike hers, that would make it easier to separate myself for the purpose of the mission.

"Thank you, for the company." I returned, watching as she giggled and adjusted her glasses, I sipped my drink thankful for my choice of something bitter, the whisky burn was a comfort I relished in, tonight I'd do something horrible to get to Madara.

"It's not something I do often, but you seemed like you could use it." I remarked casually, pretending to take in her frazzled attire and messy hair- well messy on one side at least, she giggled lightly sipping her drink demurely.

"Just my luck, meeting a cute guy when I'm in such a state." She commented, not for the first time I had to fight my revulsion at the woman's personality as she tried to flirt with me- I had to get close to her tonight, see what she knew that I could use and of course give her the pendent- if I made enough of an impression she'd wear it often and gain me information on Masters and by proxi Madara.

"I'm cute am I?" I asked in return, it was easy now, all I had to do was let her seduce me- perhaps easy wasn't the correct term, as she reached out and stroked my hand I had to force myself not to pull it away.

"Very." She purred, I forced a smile.

Just another necessary evil I told myself, another sin…I never could be clean again anyway so what was the harm in becoming more dirty.

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><p>Where were you?<p>

You showed up to tease me or in the middle of the night but you refused to come and comfort me now when I needed you the most.

We had tracked Satoshi down, it was easy actually…killing him had proved slightly more difficult.

Madara had lured most of the Noble Uchiha's detail away until only two had remained and maybe once upon a time that would have been a difficultly, but with my new seals they proved to be little more than minor obstructions.

No, no it was Satoshi himself who was the problem.

Tall regal and powerful I could handle, I could kill a man like that; tall regal and powerful, Satoshi had not been.

Small frightened and weak he was, I had frozen when I'd realised how young he'd been, nine at the most his Seals wouldn't have been awakened much less his memories; Madara must have known, that he'd be so helpless- he wouldn't care either all it meant for him was an easier kill.

I can't remember how long exactly I spent just staring at him, until something snapped and I realised that no- I wouldn't be able to kill a child even if he was destined to grow into my worst enemy- but Madara would and it was only a matter of time before he finished with the guards following him- picking them off one by one in his almost playful way so they couldn't overwhelm him with numbers.

I couldn't kill him and I couldn't let Madara do it either, so I approached the boy carefully and quieted his sobs, I asked him if he knew a way out of here and when he nodded in the affirmative I told him to run.

Before he could escape though I heard a sound in the distance and spun to face whatever possible threat it could represent.

_I felt the blade slowly slid its way into my kidneys, then jerk and twist in a way intended to cause pain to its victim and a high boyish voice laugh and mutter about the naive Hyuuga bitch._

And as always I found myself back in time turning to the source of the noise and then as reflex kicked in fluidly spinning again to face the Uchiha my left hand pushing the knife intended for my kidneys aside and my right hand lashing out the inside of my right hand connecting with the side of his neck.

The audible crack resounded through the room, though I couldn't tell you now if that was his neck snapping or something within me finally breaking.

Madara stepped from the shadows and he performed his little rituals, to ensure the Satoshi would not be coming back, I watch him unseeing and numbly as he carries out his work crafting runes in his black flames.

I choke back a sob and curl further up into a ball, that's the twenty seventh time I've relived the act and it still hasn't gotten any easier; something deep in my core was still rebelling, trying to tear itself out of my dirty shell.

You finally arrive, the bed dipping slightly under your weight, I feel your hand rest on my thigh; relief floods my system, it's okay after all, I had thought you mightn't come back after what I had done, I beg you to comfort me and you do- you even praise me.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I recall my own old warning, that you were only a phantom and not really there- but I could only remember that word now, phantom, not the actual meaning of the warning.

I didn't care though, I had you again...despite you being dead we were together.

So why did I feel as if I was losing my grip on something precious.

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><p>"You're positive it was them?" I asked the man once more, he nodded a final time before I released my grip on his collar allowing him to scurry off.<p>

It defied reason, why would Naruto and especially Sasuke stay so out in the open much less mingle at bars, and why was there no word of the Hyuuga.

I suppose it didn't really matter, if anything it was convenient I was getting tired of waiting for this mission to come to ahead, I'd let Gai know my students whereabouts- most likely tomorrow Sakura would face her test of loyalty.

And I would face mine.

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><p>Tomorrow, a lunch date with Tobi Amaterasu…it's strange feeling antagonised by a planner entry, or maybe that was more to do with the unclean feeling that had stuck to my skin since letting the red head- now passed out on her bed- touch me.<p>

I hadn't slept with her, instead I'd slipped something into her drink so that it never got that far…it could have been a mistake, she probably wouldn't become too attached to the pendant I'd let on her cabinet now making it little more than a pot-shot.

Fortunately I knew this Tobi was Madara, and now I knew exactly where I could find him; I let out a slight growl as I reset the desk to avoid suspicion, I'd let my feelings get in the way despite my earlier promises, that couldn't happen again.

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><p>And the makes chapter 7, the Seal corruption worsens and we're looking at some reunion. Hope you guys are still enjoying this.<p>

Remember to check out Fading.

R&R


	8. Chapter 8: Challenged Demon 1

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Chapter 8-

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><p>"Madara!" my voice echoes over the room accompanying the still ringing retort of my weapon.<p>

It's suddenly silent in the room.

Somehow, even with all the twisted things I'd done in my long- and I was beginning to suspect too long- lifetime, I never expected to end up here with her like this.

I've just fired a warning shot into the roof, she's still got her grip tight on Naruto's neck, Master's dead body guard is lying- in some morbid efficiency I roughly calculate it- eighty three centimetres from the rooms single table, his remaining guard has drawn a pistol and pushed Masters to the floor aiming at me.

…Madara has the most amused expression on his devious face, and it's my only consolation that one way or another I will be wiping that smile off his face.

She spins quickly drawing a nine millimetre and aiming at me, well she begins to aim it at me anyway; her eyes widen and her mouth parts, the gun clatters to the wooden floor and her grip on Naruto becomes slack allowing him to get free.

But the moment lasts only a second, of course it does, she can see me but she can't feel me, even I'm horrified at it, there's nothing left of our bond it's completely gone.

She looks to Madara for answers.

"Can you feel your bond Hinata dear?" asked Madara his expression shifting to a carefully crafted façade of confusion and hope, she shakes her head slowly for a moment looking so absolutely wounded I wanted to forget everything and just try to comfort her.

"It's a good attempt, but this is a stranger not my son Sasuke." Announced Madara, only I notice the twinkle in his eye at putting me in such a bind…I'm going to cut out his heart.

Hinata's eyes harden into a look of absolute hatred, and her weapon raises back into the air, I suspected that Naruto may well have been invisible behind her now as some sort of madness emanated from her seal signature, and in my honours name that anger was directed at me.

"Hinata." I heard Madara call out as I considered plans, she shouldn't have been here, I couldn't try to reason with Hinata either Anneil's warning rang in my mind- the only way I figured to prevent Madara from using any fail-safes against me was to seem driven by vengeance and seem uninterested in Hinata.

Maybe then he wouldn't use her as a hostage then.

It was weak, but it was all that I had…a sliver of hope, things weren't meant to be like this

* * *

><p>I hadn't expected to see her there, sitting patiently with Madara, Masters and his two guards- Naruto and I had…let's say commandeered the security room.<p>

The plan had been rather simple really, we would ascertain which room Madara and Masters were meeting in, then I'd kick in the room door and fill it with black flames, if that didn't work I would use the Seraphim rune while Naruto covered me and…kill Madara in as many ways as we could find until one striped his life away for good.

I watched the grainy black and white images for a full minute watching the on-going conversation with no sound before I began thinking of possible plans to get her away from my bastard father, then another minute later that I started laughing at myself, rescuing her was still impossible without killing Madara first.

Naruto looked concerned, it was justified I suppose with the rather insane crackling to myself, his main concern however was probably that I would do something highly foolish to try and save her.

I stopped my chuckling schooling my features back into their more ridged serious expression, there was business to be settled after all.

"We need to get her out of the room, I've got a plan but you'll need a uniform, something to get you into the room." I told my partner, it was a risky plan but unless the times had changed more than I expected then it should work.

"You're not going after her?" asked the Uzumaki.

"No, for the moment there's nothing I can do for her…that said I refuse to risk hitting her with Amaterasu." I answered, we shared a significant look, one that I suspected said 'You're full of shit' or possibly 'Drop the stoic act'; considering how well Naruto knew me it was probably a bit of both.

He left the room none the less…and another presence entered.

"You're changing the plan." she asked as ever in a perfect imitation of Hanabi's velvet smooth tone, though I don't think I ever quite heard Hanabi sound so disapproving, I pinned a mild glare on her, sitting in the only other chair of the camera room- arms and legs crossed with a pretty pout decorating her aristocratic features.

"I'm not risking Hinata." Once again I berated myself for engaging the phantom…simply because despite the foreign words I still longed to hear her voice again, such was the nature of love, guilt and madness when they conspired together as one.

I wondered how long Naruto would be, they never appeared when he was around.

"But it's not a risk, she's sitting all the way over in that corner see." Prompted the Spector gesturing towards the monitor, as I began my response the door clattered open, I spun in the chair to face the noise, the index and middle fingers of my left hand extended forward- gunfire would be unwanted noise and the distance was short enough to use extended lightning instead.

"Hey now, it's just little old me." Announced the blonde with a grin…I closed my eyes counted to three and opened them only to question how far my mental degradation had went in the last minute or so.

"Are you really wearing what I think you're wearing?" I asked the blonde blinking a couple of more times at him and resisting the urge to rub my eyes…this hardly seemed to time for one of his weird jokes.

"What? All I could find was a maid." Responded Naruto.

"Besides, this makes it a better disguise doesn't it?" he added, pulling lightly on his frilly apron under my still disbelieving gaze, I rubbed the bridge between my nose considering the facts, it may be a better situation alright, my plan hinged on Madara not recognising Naruto…and this would certainly help that element.

"Well…it's a disguise at any rate. Now the plan's simple, you go in, get Hinata out and then I turn the room into a black fireball." I felt a little stupid putting it that way but fortunately wearing his costume Naruto certainly outdid me in that department.

"No." the blonde bit back sharply causing me to double take from the computer screen where Hinata and one of Masters body guards had begun fighting.

Naruto approached me from behind laying a hand on my shoulder as I watched the battle, Hinata moved far more gracefully than I ever imagined she could, from what I could tell it seemed to be a test or contest given Madara and the other guards relaxed state, I sorely wished the cameras had sound systems.

"Show me how to draw the Seraphim Rune, I'll get Hinata out and come back you up." It wouldn't have been my first choice, honestly I'd prefer to tell him to get Hinata out of there and just keep running, in case I ran out of time before I finished Madara…somehow I doubted he'd go for that idea.

I didn't want him using Seraphim either, it was a dangerous technique and could kill him, but I doubted he'd go without it to get back as soon as possible.

I ground out a reluctant 'fine' grabbing a nearby notepad and pen to sketch the rune, the fight had finished, Hinata hadn't taken a scratch- she'd become a lot stronger.

"Give me a couple of minutes head start to make contact alright." Naruto ordered me glancing at the terminal himself, no doubt considering the best way in before he made his way towards the door, pausing in the threshold.

"I hope this works Sasuke, really…good luck." He offered to me before I heard his footfalls clatter down the hallway rapidly.

I rose from my seat intent on stretching and calming my nervous mind before I made my move, until I felt the presence in the room with me, I thought she had returned for a moment but I was wrong.

"Look at the camera." He ordered, his voice cold, business-like, I directed a raised eyebrow at the camera, was I missing something; Hinata had returned to her seat and Madara was speaking though obviously I knew not what he was saying.

"Watch Masters." Cut in Itachi's phantom when I threw my puzzled expression his way.

"He's fidgeting, nervous, and glancing at Hinata…and his former guard. He's seriously shaken up." I noticed, now that was curious, had he been surprised at Hinata's prowess? no he was a professional- there was no way someone being stronger than his body guard freaked him this badly unless…he hadn't known about Seals before that duel.

"It's a possibility." I heard Itachi or his approximation comment from behind me, so why is the question, what's Madara got to gain by showing someone that the nonthreatening girl next to him and one of the body guards on his payroll are super human, why do it.

"Not simply someone, an Arms dealer." Added Itachi…if I needed more of a reason to question the reality of the spectres existence responding to my thoughts certainly seemed worthy.

"He's going into business, offering to create people with Seals, maybe an armies worth." I whispered out, that would certainly be dangerous concept, for more than enough reasons never mind the fact that Seals would kill almost anyone who's blood wasn't inherited from an Ancient.

"He want's resources, for something huge…kill Masters and you'll obstruct those plans." Advised Itachi, he was right, I still had no idea what the master plan was but killing Masters would certainly create complications for Madara, except….

"I don't have time for hit and run." I told my brother, maybe he wasn't real but he was something of Itachi even if only a mirage and hence he meant something to me, or enough to argue with at least.

"And if you don't have the strength for a frontal assault?" asked the phantom, of course there was the obvious answer, I snorted and chuckled a little instead, that idea tickling something inside me…possibly the same madness from earlier.

"What's with you two?" I asked, he remained silent as a disapproving frown made its way onto his face.

"She's telling me to fuck precaution and go in the swinging, you're telling me not to take any risks at all." I asked an element of anger making its way into my tone, these phantoms had been haunting me with their contradictions and it was becoming tiresome; if they did in fact both represent my mental degradation the contradictions were more than a little worrying.

"I'm here to free my wife from a monster and my father from his worldly attachments, anything but advice to do as much is unwelcome noise. Understand me." This was good though, I was getting riled up and extreme emotions would help with my first strike not to mention I may need to go in to full-fledged battle using Seraphim after it; Amaterasu at full health would only leave me winded and disorientated but I doubt Madara would allow me time to regain my composer. If Amaterasu failed I'd only have thirteen minutes and forty four seconds to find a way to finish it, aggression would be key.

"It's time." Were his last words before with a blink he was gone, I checked my blade was clear of its scabbard, before I noticed the screen.

Hinata was attacking Naruto...the world had changed more than I realised, I hadn't thought she could ever do that.

"Shit!" I barrelled out of the room, unsure of what I'd do but certain that I had to do something, a solid kick tore the locked double doors off their hinges once I found the room.

And a shot rang out.

* * *

><p>"Take Masters and get out of here, I'll deal with my son. You are at least that much aren't you?" ordered Madara playing up the role he had chosen for me as he smirked clearly amused, so I was an imposter of myself it seemed, I wondered if when he originally saw this scenario playing out I begged Hinata not to go or started screaming how I was in fact me.<p>

I smirked internally at the confusion I would now inflict on Madara for a change, outwardly I schooled my features into the self-righteous expression so many had worn when facing me down.

"I've got no interest in your companions Madara, my business is with you the most vile traitor of Konoha!" I challenged, my father's eyes widened slightly and for the first time I saw shock colour his features before even more amazingly unease took over.

He was worried.

Hinata was slow in following her orders but didn't argue, something in Madara's unease clearly filtering off into her, she exited via the side door with Masters and it was all I could do to stay in place.

I'd seen the scars, the bruises from fighting so often, her unkempt hair and pale unhealthy features…but goddamn it if I didn't find her beautiful still only enhancing my need to save her. I refused to even acknowledge my need to just grab her and hold her, it would destroy me to do so.

Naruto had moved to the same side of the room as me now, an act that had only added to Madara's confusion.

"You have something against flanking the enemy then?" asked Madara laughing lightly to himself at the intended insult, that we'd foolishly sacrificed the advantage, I smirked finally breaking mode as twin tears of blood slid down my cheeks and I closed my eyes to Madara's shocked expression.

I unleashed the flames watching them wash over Madara.

The blaze ended and I clutched my eyes pain stringing to life, but in the flames I saw it…nothing was left, just the flames dancing on the carpet.

"Did he move?" I snarled at Naruto, the blonde shaking his head in the negative…it didn't back sense had he just exploded when the flames hit him.

Was he dead? Had it been that simple, all that was needed was that attack.

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><p>Yeah…honestly I spent so long rewriting this one and I know it's short but I like the way it is.<p>

Any questions I'm at your service.

R&R


	9. Chapter 9: Challenged Demon 2

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

littlewitch88- I think I'd already hinted at it but the bond's disappeared, for example at the end of chapter 2 Hinata only feels it for a second when Sasuke awakens before it vanishes again, I'm afraid the explanation hasn't been revealed yet. P.s I originally intended for him to sleep with Karin…guess more than one of us couldn't go through with that one.

FallenRaindrops- I kind of wish that too, but I've still got some fuel for the fire and I'd rather make Madara's end a touch more satisfying…and ya know painful.

Sorry if the responses (and the chapter for that matter) are a little over due.

Chapter 9-

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><p>I hate surprises.<p>

You know such as turning away from some smouldering flames with a sense of joy and frankly disbelief, questioning your friend to try and dispel said disbelief as hundreds of thoughts and possibilities exploded in your mind's eye and the following occurs.

"Rude brat." I heard a voice say as suddenly an arm snaked around my throat and another clamped down on my left arm, I swung my right elbow back connecting with my assailants ribs with as much success as a toddler may have against an iron bar.

I struggled trying anything I could, kicking backwards trying to make a connection with the back of my head- an attempt that left my brain rattling and yet myself no more freer than before.

I finally broke free with Naruto's assistance, a Seraphim rune on his forearm glowing blue in resonance with his soul, his fist crashing into my assailants face with a sharp crunch, I stumbled forward sucking in a mouthful of air before I yanked at my shirt sleeve tearing the material in my haste.

I faced Madara, alive and well for the moment, and hastily burned a Seraphim rune of my own into my arm, it glowed a blood red and I felt the it's furious power wash over me- twice the speed, strength and healing rate but most importantly the cunning and aggression from my Snake Seal would double.

Pain exploded in the back of my mind, my mouth suddenly felt like it had been rubbed down with sandpaper and the scents that had been so apparent before- the food on the nearby table, the flowers in the corner, my own burnt flesh- faded into nothing…a bad sign I suspected.

"I hope that's not all you had planned." Growled the ancient warrior effortlessly ducking Naruto's roundhouse, sweeping the blondes supporting leg and striking him with a back fist in mid-air, I rushed forward drawing my blade with my right hand and a revolver with my left.

A certain level of regeneration can handle gunshots to the torso and head provided the bullets pass through cleanly or are a small enough calibre and don't get caught anywhere vital, this level however cannot handle decapitation.

I fainted a gunshot with my left maybe six feet away from Madara, closing the distance as he raised his arms in defence with a sudden lunge striking his middle with a kick off my left leg, as he doubled over slightly I spun bringing my blade down on the back of his neck.

I dodged a left uppercut and then a right cross before Madara managed to score a glancing knee forcing me backward, only a couple of drops of blood bellow his jaw marked that I'd done anything, I gave an internal curse as Naruto re-joined the fray from Madara's blind spot connecting with a spin kick that seemed to barely faze the monster.

If decapitation doesn't work there's only one other choice, a heart still impaled or clogged with bullets can't regenerate…it hadn't worked on Orochimaru, his regeneration having been so overclocked and aggressive- or perhaps due to his strength boosting- that the bullets had no effect, I assumed being crushed or destroyed by the regeneration.

I dropped my katana wasting no time in sheathing it drawing my second revolver instead as Madara once again countered and tossed Naruto aside- this time however there was a worrying crack from the blondes ribs fuelling my sense of haste, moving as fast as I could I caught the elder man's jaw with the stock of my left hand weapon wiping his head violently to the side before I struck my knee into his solar plexus winding him.

As he drew his breath I pressed both barrels of my revolvers against each of his collarbones angled downward firing all twelve shots into him using magnetism to slow the bullets, not one of them passed completely through, I struck him again with my knee throwing him backwards.

I felt sweat trickle down my brow at the effect of stopping each shot but conceded that it was worth it, with so much metal stuck in his chest I had to have done an unholy amount of damage to his insides.

"Naruto!" I called out to the blonde after a moment when Madara failed to raise, I was shocked to see him convulsing where he had fallen, I hurried to his side and tried to still his thrashing, his eyes were completely white and form spilled for his mouth, I straddled his chest and pressed down on his shoulders; after several tense moments he finally stilled his pupils returning.

Like his Seraphim rune his pupils had turned scarlet, a side effect to the rune I mused, I allowed myself a shaky sigh releasing the breath I felt as if I'd been holding since we'd entered the room, the blonde gave me a confused look as he reached up with his right hand…he had every right to be confused I thought and allowing him a touch for reassurance seemed alright.

I closed my eyes as his unusually warm hand brushed against my cheek, I felt a smile tug at my lips, I honestly hadn't thought we'd succeed.

There was a flash of pain as something dug into my cheek before I was roughly yanked off of Naruto, I landed roughly on my back the air escaping my lungs all at once.

I opened my eyes to see the supposed to be dead Madara standing before me, my own katana held loosely in his left hand, beyond him stood Naruto enveloped in a fiery red aura and crouched on all fours like some wild beast, blood- my blood- dripped from the nails of his right hand elongated now like claws.

I rolled to my side and onto my feet redrawing my revolvers, Naruto sniffed the air experimentally and snarled at me, Madara acknowledged my weapons with a single raised eyebrow, clearly he too doubted if they could be of much use to me now.

"You must be feeling out of your depth by now boy, third wheel in a confrontation between a High Demon and a Fallen God." Mused Madara aloud as he stepped slightly to his right refocusing Naruto's attention away from me and onto himself.

I took note of the strange action, adding it to the fact he'd saved me from having my head clawed off.

"A corrupted Seal tends to lower the fear of mortality somewhat." I answered popping the cylinder of one of my guns open and reloading it, Naruto's attention returned to me and I saw Madara again redraw his attention with a heavy step forward.

I had no time to consider a plan as Madara lunged forward at Naruto, I had used up all of my ideas for dealing with the Ancient and I'd never even considered how I might reverse the Demon taking control of Naruto- I had thought the Demon left it's host on death.

We began a short lived deathly dance as Naruto clawed at the elder Uchiha and he responded with lightning fast stabs and trusts half of which only missed there mark thanks to my own interference.

The stalemate ended in a blaze of orange as one of Naruto's hands pierced Madara's chest, the elder warrior spit up a mouthful of blood but bizarrely it was Naruto who began shrieking in pain ripping his arm away, both staggered backwards Madara clutching the hole in his chest and Naruto his arm- covered in black flames…that was curious.

I reconsidered Madara's title as Master of the Black Flames, it seemed that as well as command those flames he was there Keeper, literally keeping them within his body, as such the bullets I'd shot into him had simply burned up inside.

In his flailing Naruto struck me hard in the chest knocking me backwards, I looked up in time to see Madara pierce Naruto through the chest, his red aura and the black flames cancelling one another out it seemed.

A roar of anger escaped my throat as I dropped my revolvers and threw myself at Madara in a desperate tackle, there was one thing I knew could withstand Black fire without fail.

Lightning roared as I struck downward with my left hand aiming for his heart, I'd pierce it and hold there until he died.

At the last moment Madara managed to grasp a hold of my wrist, genuine fear in his eyes as he struggled to hold off my attack, I redoubled my efforts gaining another inch so that the lightning pressed against his jacket burning it and a layer of skin away.

He struck my ribs ineffectively from his position with his other hand, I winced and pushed harder pressing down on his throat with my right forearm, more skin burned and blood spilled as I opened the wound deeper.

A little more and I'd have him.

Suddenly there was a flash of red on my wrist and a spurt of blood as Madara pushed my arm away, my limbs felt weak and heavy and my mind numb.

"Fuck…" I muttered softly as Madara shoved me aside, I landed on my shoulder roughly.

I hacked and coughed for a moment as despair threatened to overwhelm me before I got sight of Naruto in a pool of his own blood, his bright blue eyes stared at me blankly, I climbed to me feet and staggered to his side falling to my knees there.

He was in bad shape a deep chest wound and severe burns covering his right forearm, I tried to ignite my right hand to seal his wound but got little more than a dull flash and a painful headache for the effort, I ripped my shirt instead using it as a makeshift bandage.

I didn't know how our situation could get any worse…Madara had escaped, my best friend was lying in a pool of blood and I was powerless to help him and worst of all Hinata was in a far worse state than I had ever feared…and our bond was gone, by my seals degradation or some other means of Madara's I couldn't say but the net result was the same.

I tried the flame again, Naruto was the only thing holding me together now, warding off the madness that threatened to consume me, I had to at least save him.

Another brief flash was all I managed.

"Forget him, follow Madara, you can use Seraphim again- a couple of seconds is all you need if you catch him off guard." Came the velvet voice of phantom Hanabi appearing by Naruto's legs wild eyed and excited.

"You won't catch him, we know what he wants now, he can be found." Came Itachi appearing the opposite side of the Uzumaki, the first time they had appeared together, add that to my loss of smell and taste and it painted a grim picture of how long I had left.

They began arguing amongst one another as I tried to ignite me hand again before suddenly both went silent and vanished, something I thought they only did when I gained company…I heard a startled gasp behind me, and turned expecting to find some maid staring wide eyed at the destroyed room.

It was not.

"Sasuke..?" questioned a familiar voice in a soft way I hadn't heard in decades.

"Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, for your betrayal and crimes against the order of Konoha you are to be executed!"

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><p>All Sasuke seemed to do was shoot Gai a dirty look for his announcement, in fairness to him he certainly seemed beat up, not to mention the state Naruto was in, though I could still see signs of life coming from his body, considering the monstrous amount of Chaotic energy that had flooded out of the one hotel room in the last fifteen minutes I was surprised there was anything left, whatever they had fought had to have been from another world.<p>

It was Sakura who reacted the most.

"What do you think you're doing?" she half shrieked stepping defensively before her former comrades even going so far as to bear her teeth- I doubted they were feeling particularly intimidated, Gai was out of her league by miles and even Lee was a specialist in her strongest offensive style- she shot me a look, clearly confused as to why I hadn't stepped up with her.

A part of me shared her sentiments.

"Kakashi, what the hell is going on?" she growled out, I noticed Sasuke shoot her a look raising a single eyebrow, guess after everything they'd been through as enemies over the last few years he hadn't been expecting her to protect him in his moment of need, she probably still would have even with memories of fighting him and dying at his hands.

I wasn't sure where she'd stand there if she remembered he'd run off with Naruto though…or gotten married to the Hyuuga.

"Please Miss Sakura, these men are traitors to Konoha." Prodded Lee trying to step past her, Sasuke tensed and rose to a standing position with some effort.

I felt a little bad for the younger man, caught off guard at that range his greater skill and speed didn't do all that well against Sakura's monstrous strength, her fist crashed into his cheek taking him from his feet and sending him crashing through the wall.

In the same moment Gai dashed forward aiming a roundhouse at the Uchiha's head, Sasuke managed to block the first kick but failed in catching the follow-up attack, Gai's knee struck him in the chest sending him tumbling backwards.

The elite warrior may have finished the downed Naruto if not for Sakura's intervention stepping in close and trying a roundhouse of her own, it was blocked, her leg caught and she too was tossed like a rag doll into a wall denting the brickwork.

Sasuke's devilish luck still seemed intact however as Gai's blow had thrown him near a pair of revolvers I'd bet he had dropped himself in his earlier battle, four shots forced Gai away from the downed Naruto and despite the warriors fatigue he rushed forward into close combat.

Both Lee and Sakura had regained their footing and tried to join the fray, Sasuke however had a different plan firing several shots at Gai before moving to combat Lee, oddly he seemed to be regaining stamina as he fought, something strange indeed was occurring with the rouge warrior.

"Get to Naruto!" he shouted twisting and kicking out at Gai as Lee grabbed him in a full nelson from behind, whatever seemed to be recharging the former Uchiha wasn't working well enough as the lightning he called as he grabbed the back of Lee's head did little more than shock him and break the grip when in a reasonably healthy state I knew Sasuke could easily electrocute him.

"Stop her!" called Gai…now where had I seen this before, it seemed eerily similar to our own battle, which in much better condition Sasuke had only survived by playing on a weakness Gai doesn't have.

I made my way over to my fallen student, I eyed the wound, messy but he had time, stranger it looked like it was caused by a weapon quite similar to Sasuke's own.

I watched as the fight took a turn for the worst, Sasuke seemed to have levelled out in his recovery and Sakura was out of her depth, both had resorted to back to back fighting but even such desperate defensive tactics hadn't lasted long as Gai managed to rip them apart forcing Sasuke further across the room.

"Help…em…" I felt something grab at my leg and glanced downward, Naruto had apparently woken, he was shivering, pale and could barely speak, and yet he gave no thought to himself only to the others.

I wanted to apologise to him, after all I had already made my decision, Konoha had given me my life and purpose I owed them my loyalty, Sakura had fallen backwards, outdone my Lee's greater skill, only Sasuke persisted now but he wouldn't last for long.

"Plea…se…" I heard Naruto gasp.

"Quiet." I hissed, though a thought occurred to me as Lee prepared to deliver the final blow, I had always held that should any of my students go rouge I would be the ones to finish them.

"Ka..shi…" I moved, all it took was a simple strike to the neck, and life fled the body, time seemed to slow for me as I suddenly realised exactly what I had just done, I glanced at my hand…I hadn't thought I'd ever do it, no matter what the situation.

"I'm sorry, Sakura." I was so very sorry serene sweet Sakura, I had used you as comfort whilst you were at your worst and hadn't even been able to protect her when she needed it.

* * *

><p>I feel kinda cheap, action danger and a cliff-hanger…no character development whatsoever.<p>

I can only hope that everyone isn't disappointed with Madara's continued existence, but really I promise his comeuppance is coming and it'll hopefully be more satisfying, or at least that's my intention.

Any questions you know what to do, or you know if you feel like inflating my ego I'd enjoy a nice review.

R&R


	10. Chapter 10: Plotting Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Chapter 10-

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><p>The High Demon are an old weapon from a vastly different time.<p>

In the past there has only ever been one occasion when each of the five Orders have come into direct confrontation, at the mid-point of the conflict it had seemed that the Order of Wind as both the smallest and youngest of the five would collapse- that is until they released their new weapon upon they're enemies.

An old one whose name has been lost outside of the Order of Wind had apparently grown desperate and at least partway insane, furious at his subordinates for their inability to surpass the standard maximum Seal level and become super soldiers even by the Sealed warriors standards, he began strange experiments.

Only one in a hundred could obtain even a B class seal in those days, the arts for perfecting compatibility had yet to be perfected meaning seals were not custom fitted and the old process itself was much more…abrasive.

So in a moment of inspiration or more likely dementia at having been holed up for months experimenting and performing autopsies on his comrades the unknown old one had placed a seal on an animal- a racoon that had wandered into the base in search of food.

When the Seal failed to kill the animal he added another, and another, and continued until quite spectacularly the beast had exploded it's body no longer capable of holding the energy flooding into it.

It rampaged leaving destruction in its wake, it was the first and the weakest of nine as the other Orders created their own allowing them to rampage into their enemies territory.

It wasn't until the ninth proved to be such a danger that the Orders agreed on a treaty and began the Demon War against their own creations.

Seals are made through the sacrifice of other human beings and many claim that these High Demons were not in fact simply pure energy mimicking the animals they had formerly been, no they claimed the Demons were equal parts energy and hatred of those sacrificed in their creation and some God's punishment for our attempts to enter his dominion.

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><p>"Kakashi..?" I heard her whisper as I continued to stare down at the dead body…funny what happens in the heat of the moment really, resolve doesn't do so well in chaos.<p>

"Kakashi!" Gai roared from the other end of the room, clearly enraged at the loss of his own student whilst he'd been attempting to execute my own…I chuckled a little at the irony and smirked at him feeling strangely dethatched and calm as the elite warrior disengaged from the former Uchiha and raced toward me.

"I'm sorry Gai." I shook my head at his obvious tactical error, I only had to block his first kick before he stilled unnaturally, twitched slightly and fell to the floor- dead.

It's not really a good idea to turn your back on an assassin renowned for his speed and cruelty, no matter how tired and worn down he may seem to be.

Sakura wasted no time in attending to the fallen Uzumaki as Sasuke and I faced one another down, there was an edge to the younger man's gaze and he kept his guard tight, the knife he'd used to kill Gai held backhanded in one hand and a revolver in his other.

"Why?" his voice cracked slightly and blood dribbled from the side of his mouth as he spoke, there was hope in his eyes only barely distinguishable beneath the distrust, pain and exhaustion.

Had I acted out of loyalty to my comrades…no, I'd executed deserters before without any hesitation; did I believe Konoha was wrong, impossible and besides I'd followed orders I disagreed with before.

"You're my family." I whispered more to myself than anyone else, this wasn't a pupil and his master but foolish children attempting to rebel against the entire world and a foolish father who waited far too long to help.

The former Uchiha keeled forward suddenly his eyes rolling up into the back of his head, I caught him softly and gently carried him over to the others; Naruto's wounds had closed under Sakura's expert care, the girl herself shot me an angry look.

I supposed I had some explaining to do.

"We'll get somewhere safe first, then I'll tell you everything." I told her, I stretched out my senses carefully, Tsunade was a careful woman and one of her favourite tactics by far was sending a second squad to ghost one she was doubtful of.

There was a whisper, but they were moving further away from us…curious, Tsunade's shadow squads were often only made up of the most devoutly and fanatically loyal, they were highly unlikely to witness my treason and retreat even if they stood no chance of winning a confrontation.

I glanced at Sasuke for a moment and Naruto strung over Sakura's back, whoever they had fought earlier today had been immensely powerful, I'd barely suppressed the fear when I had felt the chaotic power within the room, now however I felt something else entirely.

Having just betrayed my order and everything I'd ever fought or killed for I doubted most would except my word as something of value, but I swore to myself that whoever this force was that had hurt my sons would suffer for it and if Konoha continued to pursue they too would suffer.

* * *

><p>The first thing I registered as I awoke was pain, the dull ache in the back of my mind was not helped by blinding light spilling in from the open window or the incessant traffic on the street below.<p>

I glanced out of the window as my eyes adjusted, the over cast sky seemed miserable and seeing the white walls, grey curtains and white ceiling I worried for a moment that I was in a hospital, the lack of machinery did nothing to quell my nerves- if anything it only meant I was in an Order facility not a civilian one- someone had changed my clothes I noticed, I'd been wearing a dark blue t-shirt before but now wore a dark grey nearly black one.

At least I wasn't chained to the bed I mused.

There was a creak as the door opened suddenly and I looked around to see Kakashi enter, there was a brief moment where I gathered my energy before my memories returned and I relaxed albeit not entirely, something seemed off- for one he seemed pale, especially as contrast to his all black clothing.

Then Sakura entered the room and unless she too had developed a passion for the colour black…and dyed her hair white, there was something wrong.

Both of my former comrades tensed as lightning crackled to life on my arm, for my own part I stared dumbly at the white lightning covering my arm.

It probably should have worried me more but exhausted as I was I could only dully note that I'd become colour blind, I tightened my grip causing the lightning to fade before I turned once more to face my former teammates.

"So where do we stand now Hatake?" I asked giving Kakashi a pointed look, I heard Sakura inhale sharply and noticed her bunch part of her shirt up in her fists, at the very least unless something had happened after I passed out my former allies now seemed less former.

"On the same side I should think Sasuke, I'm now a wanted man too, not quite as much as you…yet." I saw his eye crinkle, he still wore a damn scarf to cover up his face but I could tell he was smiling; it relieved some of the tension between us but Sakura still seemed too pale and even after so many years I could recognise her nervous ticks showing, her head tilted down and to the left, nibbling on her upper lip.

I raised an eyebrow toward my old teacher, his expression darkened somewhat.

"She's missing her memories since roughly your Jonin ceremony until she awoke this lifetime…I've filled in the gaps." Explained the elder, I had enough time to let out a simple 'ah' before the woman had dived into my arms sobbing and muttering incoherently.

Old habits made me uncomfortable with the proximity but I held it in check, I couldn't fault her for her distress and if what Kakashi said was true I couldn't think of her as the same woman whom had hunted Hinata and I, hearing over the course of one conversation that you had given birth to a child- now long dead- with the love of your life, tortured and raped said love and spent the following years hunting him, that said love ran away with another man then married another woman.

If Kakashi told her half of the shit that happened during that time I would be surprised if Sakura retained her sanity.

"Naruto?" I asked wrapping my arms around the pinkette and shushing some of her sobbing, it was easy in some ways to remember this Sakura, the too honest and innocent girl who clung to me in moments of confusion.

"He's fine, but he seems shaken by something that happened." Kakashi answered, he too had somehow regressed from the perfect hunter to the over protective fatherly teacher.

"What exactly are we fighting Sasuke?" asked Kakashi dropping into a nearby armchair and tiredly rubbing his forehead.

"'We' aren't fighting anybody." I growled out, true I had spent my last few years running from these two but what Anneil had mentioned had struck a nerve, imperfect as it was this was my family- the only one I had left without Itachi- I would not bring them into such danger.

Kakashi raised an eyebrow as Sakura's head shot up her face a mask of misery and hurt, no doubt she misinterpreted the intention of my words.

"This is my fight, nobody else's." especially after what had happened with Naruto, Madara was my problem and I wouldn't selfishly drag anyone else into the chaos.

"And if I told you Konoha had captured Hinata?" asked Kakashi plainly.

"What!"

* * *

><p>Asuma Sarutobi was one of Konoha's most loyal sons, though even so he had little love for his current line of work, under normal circumstances despite his loyalty to the current head- beloved student of his late father- Tsunade he would have rejected the mission consequences be damned.<p>

Of course the mark had managed to change his mind, he didn't care how he just knew he had to be involved in Sasuke Uchiha and Hinata Hyuuga's capture and punishment.

The two traitors had been the cause of his students current condition, something they had done had destroyed the boys mind, shattered it into bits and pieces, even Tsunade's abilities had only managed to ease his pain; apparently the technique was based on the old Madara Uchiha's and only the technique itself would be able to completely reverse the damage.

So he accepted the mission, Kakashi after all couldn't be trusted with such an important task.

It was surprising to see the Hyuuga again, she looked harsher than the shy weak willed woman that used to follow Kurenai around on the Jonin program.

She'd even put up a fight lashing out like a furious lioness at her attackers she moved like some demon almost seeming to predict the future as she weaved between opponents, until finally her luck ran out and she was pinned as her eyes bled scarlet tears.

"Where's the Uchiha?" asked the Sarutobi considering what would be his first move in extracting information from the girl…he was leaning towards his trench knife or cigarettes prehaps.

"Your little clone is still inside." snarled Hinata, Asuma blinked a little in confusion…maybe the Uchiha had driven another one insane.

The Hyuuga took his confused pause as an opportunity to spit in his face, the Sarutobi would have punished such boldness if not for the sudden monstrous explosion of chaotic energy from the hotel.

"That's…" Asuma could scarcely believe the familiar power radiating from above.

"It's the nine tailed Fox, get moving you bloody fools, secure the hostage." Ordered the Anbu, there was no way they could stay in such close proximity to such a beast, besides if the Uchiha did survive he'd come for the Hyuuga no doubt.

Silently he promised Shikamaru it would only be a matter of time and he'd be back to his old self.

* * *

><p>"The squad shadowing us captured her, I've got some of the details if you're interested." Kakashi added lazily, Sakura moved away from me at the sudden deathly aura radiating from my body.<p>

"I would be highly interested." I growled darkly, my eyes stung and I knew the ancient pride of my clan had sprung to life, Madara was suddenly unimportant and if Konoha had thought I was trouble before now they would be horrified by the wrath they had incurred now.

"You get the info when you agree to us all working together." Offered Kakashi, a low growl escaped my throat, still it only took me a moment to decide.

"Deal." I consented.

"The Uchiha clan are holding her…security facility 5 I believe." Well, that was strangely convenient.

"Now how about you fill me in on the situation." Kakashi suggested as Sakura wiped away the last of her tears.

How about I've regained all the family I have left and if all goes well I'll have my wife back too…though as I'll likely be dead within the week it's somewhat bittersweet.

"I want to see Naruto first then we can think of our next move." I answered stepping out of the bed on shaky legs, the after effects of Seraphim, we moved into the next room my two companions oddly silent, I supposed Sakura still didn't know what to say and Kakashi although he didn't show it as much was probably similarly uneasy.

The blonde just stared wide eyed at me for a few moments before he to grabbed me in a desperate embrace, after a moment he pulled away enough to raise a shake hand to my cheek, I winced as his fingertips ghosted over the previously forgotten claw marks cut into my flesh- I quickly regretted the action as the guilt and pain in his expression deepened.

"Naruto…" I wasn't sure what to say, clearly he remembered or had pieced together what had happened during his possession, I wanted to comfort him but I didn't know how exactly.

The blonde shook his head rapidly for a moment before he pulled away from me turning away with his shoulders hunched and tense.

"Don't say it's okay Sasuke, I almost killed you there, I wanted to real badly…that's not okay." Shot out the Uzumaki in rapid succession his eye's wild and frightened as he turned back to face me.

"That wasn't you Naruto, hey look at me!" I bit out as he tried to turn away and deny my words, I caught a hold of his chin and turned his face back to mine.

In hindsight that may have been a mistake.

I was caught off guard as he surged forward smashing our lips together- in the background I heard someone choke and cough- Naruto pulled back looking for all the world even more guilty, I raked a hand through my hair as he muttered an apology.

"It's…alright, back at the hotel, that was all Madara's fault not yours." And I'm going to ignore the kiss, because I have absolutely no clue how to deal with it, not that feigning ignorance had worked with Sakura.

Kakashi looked somewhat confused though to his credit mostly together, Sakura on the other hand stared open mouthed at Naruto- I guessed Kakashi had omitted that part of his explanation.

"I've got a plan for dealing with the Uchiha, but firstly what do you know about Madara Uchiha?" I had a plan for everything actually, each more suicidal than the last but I didn't have the time for a proper or safe way of doing things.

* * *

><p>"You look good today." Complimented Sasuke somewhat off-handed reclining back on his elbows next to me, I giggled and shifted closer to him as a cool breeze ghosted across the field.<p>

"No I don't." I disagreed lightly, my hair was knotted and I hadn't gotten the chance to put on any make up this morning, I appreciated the effort though.

"You always look good to me Hinata." You whispered the corners of your mouth quirking up into an easy smile as you slipped your hand into mine entwining our fingers, I felt my own chapped lips form a smile.

"I feel like I'm forgetting something." I mused aloud, something in the back of my mind that seemed so important if only I could recall it now, it felt somehow sad though so maybe it was for the best it remained forgotten.

"You are." Answered the Uchiha suddenly seeming serious, I raised my eyebrows worried at the change.

"What is it?" I questioned anxiety in my tone.

"This." And suddenly his expression morphed back into a gentle smile as he pressed his lips against mine in a soft kiss, as he pulled away I slapped his shoulder lightly.

"You had me worried something was wrong." I wasn't whining, the Uchiha just chuckled and pulled me closer.

"No Hinata, everything's perfect now." It really was, I couldn't remember what I used to be so worried about.

* * *

><p>"So what do you think Ibiki?" Asuma asked watching the strange scene through the two way mirror, the interrogations expert shook his head dejectedly.<p>

"The girls cracked Asuma, you won't get anything from her." Returned the scarred man annoyed himself, he was not amused to travel all the way to this remote Uchiha fortress for the promise of fresh meat only to find it was anything but.

"She'll still do as bait, you think you can take the traitor alive." Growled Asuma around his cigarette addressing the other occupant of the room, the current Uchiha clan head.

"I played a large part in training Sasuke, I can guarantee it." Answered Fugaku stoutly shooting a dirty look through the two way mirror.

* * *

><p>That's it for this chapter, hope everybody is still enjoying the story.<p>

R&R


	11. Chapter 11: Trapped Angel

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Review responses-

Littlewitch88- I suspect Sasuke agrees with you on the kissing problem, if it helps I believe I've milked that tension as much as I intend to, gotta get the heroine back into the mix and all.

And of course for every reviewer thank you for taking the time it's much appreciated.

Chapter 11-

* * *

><p>The Uchiha clan became famous for two particular abilities, the potent fire affinity of their Seals and their more mysterious Sharingan eyes.<p>

Capable of discerning element affinity at a glance and reading an opponent's fighting style perfectly for common warriors and hypnotise an enemy at the Nobles Seal level it was a much desired ability among Konoha's allies and both desired and feared weapon by their enemies.

According to older members of Konoha Madara Uchiha's own eyes greatly exceeded upon these comparatively simple abilities, being capable of summoning powerful black flames and destroying a warriors mind with no more than eye contact.

* * *

><p>"Um…thank you?" the poor girl was clearly confused holding the bottle of hair dye against her chest with a strange sort of near reverence- I suppose it was the first thing that I'd ever actually given her that hadn't been sharp and made of iron.<p>

"All the higher tier sisters are blonde, Anneil's a little egotistical." I responded stripping off my heavy coat and tossing it onto the motel rooms bed, Sakura let out a small 'ah' sitting on the bed, she still seemed somewhat in shock from the past Kakashi had revealed.

"It's not permanent." I added rolling up the sleeves of my shirt.

"Are you sure this is a good idea Sasuke, I mean I trust you but…" she trailed off biting her lip nervously, the idea was most definitely not a _good_ idea but it was the only idea, I suspected if not for her guilt over the past she'd be arguing more, Kakashi too had been awfully complacent even eager at our dangerous plans.

I was about to do something inarguably cruel.

"She had your eyes, and chin." I half whispered sitting next to her, her eyes widened more than I thought possible.

"W-what?" I swiped my hand through my hair to rub the back of my next.

"Kakashi couldn't tell you about her and I know you want to ask me. Dark hair like mine and a couple of other features." I continued talking about little details while our daughter had still been with me, before we'd allowed the Masons to adopt her, I was somewhat surprised to hear emotion enter my own voice though it made sense really, I'd always avoided getting involved or starting a family for fear of the consequences- dreaded emotional attachment.

Sakura was held rapt.

"Last time I saw her she'd been executed alongside her husband for failing to abandon their daughter to Konoha." I turned away from the pinkette, tears had been dripping down her cheeks for most of our conversation but she barely made a sound.

"W-what was her name?" she asked.

"I don't know if we had a name for her before I awoke but I called her Asahina, I think the Mason's renamed her." I answered, there probably was a name in my old diary but I'd refused to read them.

"I'll need a hand to do this properly." And with that Sakura stood and made her way to the bathroom, I heard the shower start, I'd successfully removed any confusion she had and replaced it with a thirst for vengeance.

"You become more like me every day it seems." Commented my spectre, he seemed honestly crestfallen.

"I used to think of that as a good thing you know." I muttered.

"So we both learned bad habits from Madara then." I shot him an angry look, Sakura re-entered the room a towel around her shoulders and her hair dripping wet, Itachi's ghost had vanished.

"You think hair dye and charisma will be enough?" she asked sceptically, I called her over with a small wave of my hand gesturing for her to sit down before me, I took the hair dye from her and eyed the instructions briefly.

"No they'll probably test you, through combat I'd expect." I answered non chalant applying the hair dye.

"The vote of confidence is sweet Sasuke but I don't think they'll confuse me for an omnipotent sister." The girl protested with a fake easy laugh leaning back into my touch discreetly.

"They will, you'll be fighting with my eyes." I shot back causing the now mostly blonde- I assumed, her hair was a slightly darker tone of grey from my point of view- girl to twist suddenly, I accidently streaked some of the dye across her cheek but she didn't seem to notice.

"What!" I had to chuckle a little at the horror on her face, no doubt she had misunderstood and thought I had some mad plan to transfer our eyes.

"You asked me once to share the bond with you, does that offer still stand?" in the back of my mind I knew this betrayed Hinata in some ways but I wasn't enough of a fool to think there was any other way to get her back.

I needed to cause some chaos for both Konoha and the Uchiha clan, and revealing several important locations to their worst enemy seemed a pretty effective means to that end, of course I had quite the bounty on my head among all five of the Orders so I couldn't just wander into their territory myself; having Sakura pose as a Sister of Anneil's pseudo-Order and playing bodyguard while she reveals the information would work better.

"With the bond you'll be stronger, faster and possess a sixth sense, you'll get a feel for any danger I perceive and vice versa." With the right vantage point my Sharingan would pick up on any threats and give her an unnatural level of perception.

"…You know when I used to imagine this moment in my head you were far more romantic about it." Muttered Sakura, turning back away.

"Sorry about that." I answered with a shrug, I didn't intend to lead her on and I preferred to avoid awkward situations like this with my friends, not that they seemed to feel the same way, at least Sakura respected some boundaries.

"What's going on with you and Naruto then?" the accusation and distain in her voice was not subtle…at least she hadn't hit him.

"Nothing, Kakashi didn't mention I had a wife?" I tried to sound casual, it came off as indifferent.

"Yeah…he mentioned that, so then Naruto…" Sakura trailed off, I considered adding 'exactly like you' but I doubted she'd react well.

"Is highly delusional." Hence why I sent him with Kakashi for the other half of the plan, I'd have went with Kakashi myself except for the danger requiring we have balanced teams.

"So how do we get um bonded." Asked Sakura relief obvious in her tone, I supposed she preferred her chances for the future with me married to Hinata and uninterested in Naruto…I'd be interested in the right gender for her ambitions that way.

"Which Seal did you get first?" I asked grabbing a second towel to wipe my hands clean.

"The Order one, on my arm." She answered much to my relief, I only needed access to her first Seal so I could create the bond thankfully without her taking off her top.

"I'd offer to show you my other one too but I doubt you'd accept." I glared at her while she smiled smugly, quite happy to tease me.

"Laugh it up while you can Haruno, the bonding hurts like a bitch." I snarled causing her to laugh some more, I even found myself laughing a little too.

"You really love her then?" my comrade asked suddenly as I drew the rune over her Order Seal, I nodded uneasily.

"I'm happy for you." She didn't exactly sound it, it was a nice gesture though.

"Thank you." An awkward silence fell over us as I continued to work, it was weird that Sakura was being supportive in contrast to Naruto- who while being certainly helpful- was less accepting of Hinata.

* * *

><p>"You know it's probably a good thing I've defected." I mused aloud, stretched out across the back seat of the car, my favourite novel lay on my chest half read…I was taking a break no need to rush a good thing.<p>

"What do you mean Sensei?" asked my blonde student casting me a curious glance through the rear-view mirror, he was being far too uptight for my tastes.

"Well I had a bet with Anko about which team you played for." I answered almost regretting it as Naruto slammed roughly on the breaks, in hindsight I probably should have worn my seatbelt.

"Maybe I should drive." Naruto looked upset…for some reason.

"You placed bets on that?" he sounded incredulous as I returned to my seat, putting my seatbelt on this time.

"Not just that." I admitted, I had forgotten just how much fun I could have teasing the kid.

"I'm gonna kill you one of these days Kakashi." I heard the blonde mutter under his breath.

"I bet you don't." I grinned to myself, I was actually enjoying this new lifestyle, I would have never been able to do something as fun as visit the Village Hidden in the Dream as a tool of Konoha.

"So, are you the husband or the wife with Sasuke?" I asked casually flipping my book back open and locating where I had last finished, the blonde blushed furiously and mumbled something under his breath.

"What was that Naru dear?" I asked surprised he hadn't started hurling insults at me yet, he'd finally matured it seemed…I decided not to linger on what had forced his innocent hot-headedness away and my part in it.

"I said 'shut up ya damn pervert'." Snarled the former Uzumaki.

* * *

><p>"So…?" I eyed the grim looking Uchiha, arms folded and brows drawn tight he seemed to be putting an awful lot of thought into this decision.<p>

"It's too big." He decided at last with a shake of his head.

"I think it's perfect." I argued with a pout, we were rapidly turning into one of those couples who argued about everything.

"It's too big." He repeated sitting up slightly, I rolled over onto my stomach aiming my so far highly successful puppy dog eyes at him, it was cute how he immediately became uncomfortable going so as to fidget and look away.

"It's not gonna fit in the damn room Hinata." He protested weakly, I grinned- I had him now.

"We can make room." The sales rep was now giving us a strange look, she probably hadn't expected allowing us to test the bed to turn into this.

"Fine…but if it doesn't fit I get the couch." I smiled and pulled the Uchiha in for a quick kiss before announcing 'we'll take it' to the sales rep.

That night a grumbling Sasuke slept on the floor after it became apparent that the bed was indeed too big.

I blinked coming out of the memory, I was back in the strange white room again, though it seemed that I had company at the moment, the tall tanned man with a cigarette caught between his lips and someone new a long haired man dressed in a formal robe.

"Don't answer them." I jerked my head toward the voice, Sasuke sat slightly behind the men leaning against one of the walls.

"Can you hear me Hyuuga, tell me what you trash did to Shikamaru?" asked cigarette man, Sasuke moved appearing over his shoulder silently shaking his head, I bit my tongue not to tell the man Shikamaru got exactly what he deserved.

A few moments of silence lapsed before the man's patience eroded, he surged forward with a growl grabbing a handful of my shirt before he leaned in menacingly.

"Just stare at him blankly." Sasuke whispered moving around behind me, I obeyed without question.

"I know you can hear me bitch, you know you're a pretty little thing, I'm sure some of the men wouldn't mind their use of you. Think the Uchiha asshole would still want you after that. They won't be gentle about it either." Spoke the man calmly as Sasuke whispered to me.

"Don't show him any comprehension, he wants you as a shiny lure he's not going to put that at risk." I had to wonder what exactly they meant, it sounded like they were talking about Sasuke but they couldn't be, after all he was dead…sort of dead he could still talk to me but that was from our bond and nobody else could see him.

Maybe they were crazy, I giggled at the thought.

"She's gone Asuma. That's enough." Called the other man stepping up and placing a hand on Asuma's shoulder, Asuma simply shrugged off the hand and reared angrily on the long haired man.

"You stay quiet or get the fuck out of here." Snarled Asuma roughly shoving the other man toward the door, the man knocked three times before the door opened, two men entered clearly Uchiha themselves.

"Take Sarutobi somewhere to cool off." The man the guards later addressed as 'Lord Fugaku' ordered, Asuma looked beyond pissed.

"This is my opportunity as much as yours and you will not sabotage it by getting over emotional." Snarled his 'lordship', I snorted and laughed some more, even Sasuke began to laugh alongside me.

* * *

><p>"This feels…" she whispered glancing around the room as if seeing it for the first time, I knew the feeling, the bond filtered off excess energy to the partner, it was only a fraction but she was feeling some of my strength, speed, stamina and perception added to her own.<p>

For my own part I felt some of the pain and exhaustion disperse, a little of the weight lifting.

"I know, and I hate to rush you but we need to practice." With the bond in place I could actually feel her emotions, I only hoped she was as slow a learner as myself- it had taken me just over two months to get the hang of interrupting Hinata's emotions and Seal condition through the bond- I'd prefer it if the did not have so much insight into my condition.

"Let's get started then." She sounded enthusiastic, though given the training that wouldn't last long, I tossed her a blind fold…I probably should have explained the exercise first.

"…I was feeling it too Sasuke, but this is a surprise, I had no idea you were into this sort of thing." She had a coy smile spread across her face, I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose trying to resist the sudden urge to slap the girl.

"That is _not_ what the blindfold is for." I grated out, Sakura looked momentarily mortified releasing a soft 'oh' of comprehension and I was certain was blushing brightly.

"You're going to put on the blindfold, then I'm going to sit somewhere in the room and you'll have to find me…you will touch me on the shoulder, nothing more." I probably should have expected it, whatever control the girl possessed would be hard kept under the effects of the bond.

There was a couple of seconds silence before I had to rub the bridge of my nose once more.

"I can tell what you're planning Sakura." I mentioned as she tied the blindfold, for the second time she let out an embarrassed 'oh'.

I was probably being a little harsh with my teammate, what she was feeling would be a natural reaction to the bond even had she not been attracted to me before it, I knew what the real problem was- it was too damn familiar- this training was exactly what Hinata and I had spent so long doing, it was our private connection.

The bond, the practice, it all felt far too much like I was replacing her, I knew it was necessary but I was reaching the end of my line…I wasn't sure how much more that I could do based on the 'it's necessary' justification.

"You ready?" I heard Sakura question.

"Count till ten, then try to find me." In the end it didn't really matter, I had to get to Hinata somehow, and if tricking the Order of Earth into believing Sakura was one of Anneil's chosen by any means necessary to open a path to my girl…well so fucking be it.

We worked well into the night until Sakura could find me without trouble, mind you this was still only the first step in a long journey, I called it a night after that letting the exhausted girl get some rest.

I found myself wandering to the roof, maybe a habit I'd picked up before my memories had returned, I felt restless and incapable of sleep.

If I was being honest with myself I was tired but I was terrified of going to sleep, I wasn't certain I'd wake up after all.

"Madara's still out there." I heard her growl as I closed my eyes for a split second, my attention snapped to her, she wore the same dress she'd been executed in…I looked away, I couldn't bare seeing her wearing that torn ragged thing.

"I know." I responded with a shaky smile continuing to avoid looking at the spectre of my former fiancé.

"So then what are you doing here, enjoying sweet little Sa-ku-ra?" She pressed sarcastically purring 'Sakura' as she stepped into my line of sight, I shut my eyes.

"I'm implementing a plan to save your sister." I growled out reaching up and tangling my hand in my messy hair, I wanted to scream- I'd thought of her as the real Hanabi again I had to stop doing that or my sanity wouldn't last as long as my lifespan did.

"She's dead, as good as dead anyway. It's Madara's fault too, you're so damn good at revenge why not give in to it." I ignored her, I wasn't going to argue with my own imagination…or at least I was going to try and avoid it.

"Bang Sakura if you need the release, you got over me you'll get over Hinata too." She continued, my eyes snapped open, I felt my eyes burn as I fought my anger down.

"Shut up!" my voice cracked, this was not part of my subconscious it couldn't be.

"Would you rather play with Naruto?" she asked with a snide sneer.

"I want Hinata…and I want you gone, whatever the hell you are?" was she something Madara had added to my Seals, to drive me insane should I turn on him.

"You can't have everything Uchiha."

* * *

><p>"I'll admit I hadn't expected to see you back here so soon Naruto." Commented the pale blonde uncrossing and re-crossing her legs, her blue eyes shifted to my silver haired comrade a coy smile stretching across her red painted lips.<p>

"And such an illustrious friend." She added, there seemed to be some tension between her and Kakashi, not an uncommon thing with Kakashi's reputation.

"It's nice to know I'm so popular." Returned the Hatake, much to my chagrin as I'd told him to keep quiet, Anneil was a volatile woman and I doubted she'd appreciate the old man's 'humour'.

"Quite, so what does the Uchiha want?" questioned Anneil turning her attention back toward me, something in the back of my mind quivered- I did not like that look.

"You don't already know?" I asked in confusion, I'd been working on the hope that as she'd accepted to meeting with us she'd already accepted the proposition.

"I cannot see the Uchiha's fate; though I am aware that you have a letter from him, I do not know it's contents." She explained, in that oh so adorably condescending way of hers, I pulled the letter from my pocket and tossed it to the blonde in agitation- she smiled sweetly as she caught it.

We waited in silence as she read, her eyes opening wider and wider as she read.

"That man is utterly insane." She stated flatly.

"So seems to be the general opinion these days." Kakashi quipped cheerily, personally I had to agree, Sasuke's so called plan happened to involve starting a war after all…who starts a goddamned war as a distraction.

"If it helps he told me to give you this should you agree." I added flashing her another letter with her name on the envelop.

"I doubt it will be enough to convince me, my daughters are very precious to me." Anneil snarled clearly upset, whether at us for asking her to put her Order into such danger or simply because of Sasuke's incredulousness.

"It's instructions, how to make his Regeneration Seal." That certainly caught her attention, no doubt she too would be curious if it would allow greater use of their self-destructive abilities not to mention it's basic value.

"Do we have a deal Mistress Anneil?" Kakashi questioned, the prophet frowned deeply in consideration.

"I suppose we do, for your sake the Uchiha had better not try to betray me." In a sense this was a victory but I couldn't help but feel more worried, maybe I had been hoping we'd get turned down and Sasuke would forget his mad scheme.

"So I'm curious, do your daughters take a vow of chastity?" Maybe we'd get turned down yet, Kakashi seemed to have a death wish.

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><p>And that's it for chapter eleven, I hope you're still enjoying the story, honestly parts of this chapter came out more light hearted then I had intended or I'm being self-critical and there was the sense of mood dissonance from Kakashi that I was aiming for as he tries to relive the old days, let me know which I got or take a third option if one strikes you, I'd love to hear back on it.<p>

As usual any feedback is highly appreciated.

R&R


	12. Chapter 12: Burning Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Chapter 12-

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><p>"So if I'm playing a Sister then what are you going to be, I've never heard of them having bodyguards or any kind of followers." Sakura asked me as I turned on the cheap cell phone, I'd only keep it on for five minutes to await word from Kakashi and Naruto then I'd turn it off and remove the battery.<p>

I was a little paranoid about being tracked…however the massive bounty on my head among each and every Order and group in the country made the measure more wise than paranoid in my opinion, and I cared little for the opinions of others.

"The lore about Anneil and her followers is mostly made up, only the occasional rumour being true, I heard one we can take advantage of a while ago though." I answered, it was another necessary sacrifice…only this time I suspected Sakura would enjoy my ploy immensely.

"It better be good, you'll have to use your Sharingan at some point for our plan and they'll recognise you." The phone beeped as the woman expressed her worries, I opened the message to read the single word 'Success' before I replied with my own message of 'Pending'.

"Some claim that each Sister keeps an enthralled man to…have their use of." I felt unclean, a feeling greatly multiplied upon seeing the girls eyes light up and her painted lips spread into a wide grin.

"You'll be my sex slave then?" she asked leaning forward excitedly, I could see the bonds influence filling her mind with less than noble uses of such a position.

"I'll be posing as your escort nothing more, whatever assumptions they make are their own." In a sad way this was the only betrayal of Hinata I hadn't committed yet, I'd murdered her, lied to her and made her my secondary concern more than once; I was clinging to this sliver of morality like a drowning man.

The girl pouted, I didn't care.

"Now pick a card already." I ordered, shooting and slashing my way to Earths leader was becoming an increasingly tempting alternative to our current plan, Sakura scanned deck spread out on the bed before her.

"Five of hearts." The Haruno answered picking up the card confidently, I shook my head tiredly.

"Right suit, wrong number." I corrected pointing to the seven, I'd devised this system for Sakura's test, getting her prepared to read the bond and act according to my emotions and observations could take years but learning to tell which card I wanted was relatively simple and once that was complete we would use a code to communicate, the card number translating to the direction and the suit a tactic- hearts for defence, diamonds to flee, spades to attack and clubs to duck…or that was the draft anyway.

"You know you don't make this easy." Complained Sakura with a small pout, I shrugged reclining back on my bed- a deep ache had seated itself in my bones and I found it impossible to relax or become somewhat comfortable.

"It is not an easy skill to gain." I responded gruffly, I kept an awareness of the girl as she crept slightly closer, the bond was still new to her and continued to prove itself superior to her self-control.

"No I know that, but whenever I try to feel your feelings…your emotions, it's like diving into an icy lake, and I can't concentrate I just feel like I'm drowning- cold and numb." I stared at Sakura as she moved closer eventually pressing her forehead against my shoulder she muttered 'so cold' faintly under her breath.

Guilt stung at my conscious as it dawned on me all the pain and heartache I'd forced on the already fragile girl, especially if- no when- I die.

A more self-centred fear also arose as I feared that it wasn't my cold emotions the Haruno genius had tapped into so quickly but the state of my seals, I was dying after all and if Sakura's simile was reflective of my health I didn't have much time left.

"I want to change that. It hurts so much." She whispered sliding one of her hands to hover just over the left side of my chest, she glanced up locking eyes with me and I could see it, as clear as day I saw my own buried pain and sorrow reflected in her eyes.

And in a flash I was in the same position, but the woman staring up at me had pearly white eyes and a dark curtain of long hair spilling over one shoulder, her expression was one of a special suffering anguish caused by the inability to help the one you love- a feeling I'd become horribly familiar with in the future.

"I want to help you Sasuke, take it all away." It was my angels voice, clear and serene the words spilled from her perfect lips as she tilted her head up and our faces moved closer together.

Suddenly I was staring at Sakura once more, her eyes closed as she leaned in to try and kiss me.

Her attempt failed as I rolled from the bed distressed, she gazed at me with a look of hurt from my rejection, I ignored it more upset with the fact that I seemed to have no control over my own mind and kept spiraling into my memories and daydreams.

"Sasuke…" Sakura began as I strode sharply toward the door, I raised a hand cutting her sentence off before I tangled the same hand into my already messy hair.

"Don't, just don't say anything. I need to be alone alright!" there was anger in my tone I should have controlled, I blamed the degradation but in truth it was probably more due to my ever increasing fury- I'd been repressing it, the knowledge that Hinata was lost to me…and if I was being completely honest the knowledge that at best I would only be able to save her to have to leave her once more moments later.

"It eased, the coldness melted away when I, please I can-" she'd risen from the bed now and was moving toward me, her expression hopeful as she believed our near kiss had eased my darkness.

"I need _her_…not you Sakura." I cut her off cruelly, Sakura stumbled backward like she'd been slapped, I'd feel guilty for it later- lashing out at one of the few people actually on my side- but for now I couldn't give a damn, I ignored the tears I saw begin to spill from her eyes.

I slammed the door behind me, my breath coming out in a mist as I stared up at the starless sky, a light rain I could scarcely feel swept over my body and I felt empty, not about Sakura- guilt over that would kick in later- I'd been without my light for too long and what was left of my seals were screaming at me to go get it back, they had no interest in convoluted plans; there was only her and me, and the distance seperating us.

Even without our bond- or perhaps exactly because it had been torn away- my seals knew I needed her and soon.

Though I had intended to walk aimlessly I found myself standing outside a dingy bar, the neon lights dull glow shimmering in the rain and despite the fact that I knew it to be near impossible for me to get drunk I pushed the door open and made my way inside.

I ordered a double whisky and drank it down quickly, I found it strangely dissatisfying without the burning taste…not that it stopped me from ordering another.

"So how do you intend to proceed now?" I recognised the voice and had to stop myself from reaching for my revolvers, I had forgotten them at the motel room and even if I hadn't they wouldn't have had any effect.

"What do you want from me?" I snarled refusing to look in the man's direction, if I did I'd have to make an attempt on his life.

"I still don't understand why you're so angry, I assisted you and clearly warned you the Seal would kill you if you abused it." he argued, his tone was light though, playful and amused, of course we both knew that he was lying through his feet.

"You turned my wife into a monster, destroyed our bond and murdered my brother. All are good reasons to eviscerate you." A dull spark flickered on my left hand and I glared darkly at the bartender who gave me a curious glance.

"Details. You don't seem upset enough to attack me at any rate." He teased, I finished my drink and gestured for another, I kept my eyes trained on the plain glass saying nothing.

"Of course you wouldn't stand a chance without using Seraphim, and that would drain a significant portion of your remaining time. There would be none left for rescuing that beloved wife of yours." He was right in his gloating and that pissed me off most of all.

"I'll ask once more, why are you here?" I ground out, my eyes strung and my patience was at an end.

"It's my protégé you intend to rescue I'd like to offer my assistance." I was silent for a moment before with a shaky hand I spilled my drink over the bar and set it alight, the blazing flames spread quickly assisted by the copious amount of alcohol at the bar, the other patrons fled the burning bar but my companion and I remained seated.

I turned to face Madara Uchiha, dressed in his ridiculous tweed suit.

"Ah wanton destruction, an excellent way to celebrate an alliance." Lightning roared and I almost took his head off with my hook punch, the ancient dodged easily though leaning away and driving a kick into my ribs in the same fluid movement, I crashed through a couple of cheap wooden stools.

"You'll need my assistance to get her back, there's no doubt of that." Commented Madara in a pseudo-fatherly tone, still sat casually on his own bar stool, something seemed eerily familiar about the situation as I rose to my feet, myself and Madara surrounded by flames, now why did that send a cold chill down my spine.

I sprang forward fainting another enraged punch but striking out with a straight kick instead, I was blocked easily and Madara spilled around my guard smashing his fist into my kidneys, I buckled doubling over as he drove a second punch into the same spot, a powerful kick struck my jaw taking me once more from my feet.

My vision blurred as I just barely staved off unconsciousness, I wiped a trickle of blood from my split lip with my thumb and began to scrawl the Seraphim rune onto my forearm, once I realised what I was doing I stopped horrified staring at the almost complete rune that would mark my destruction.

I glared up at my father.

"You added Hanabi to the rune, a phantom to drag me back to you, trick me into trying to fight you." I stated wearily wiping the blood on my arm into something unreadable and useless.

"So it's the younger Hyuuga you've been seeing, curious. I had expected it to be dear sweet Hinata." Mused Madara, I'd asked the question to determine if he'd added Itachi too, but it didn't seem so, Hanabi's phantom was Madara's envoy, Itachi's remained a helpful mystery.

Something about his statement annoyed me though.

"You're suggesting I loved Hanabi, but not Hinata." I growled out baring my incisors as my rage threatened to take hold once more.

"The Seal conjures the image of the person you are least likely to refuse; the younger Hyuuga was your tactical equal and a highly talented woman, she also traded her life for yours making her your greatest sin, your greatest failing. Far more logical than her sister now that I reflect upon it." The ancient went on at length, my urge to kill him increasing with each word of his brattle.

"Then that's one more nail in your coffin." I muttered rising to my feet, I forced my breath to even out, the smoke I was inhaling hardly mattered due to my healing factor.

I felt my strength returning as I gained a second wind, my energy boiled just beneath my skin and a force deep in my being called for Madara's death- whatever the price- for his crimes against my loved ones.

"Three days' time, at midday." I snarled out, to kill him I'd have to sacrifice myself and any hope of freeing Hinata from the Konoha dogs, I couldn't do that.

The bar cracked and splinted sending a cloud of ash and smoke into the air, it absorbed Madara and I heard him chuckle darkly.

The cloud settled revealing the Uchiha founder had disappeared, doubts entered my mind composed mostly of the feeling of powerlessness, it plagued me that I couldn't save my love on my own merits alone.

Surrounded by the flickering flames I waited until I heard the sirens before I disappeared into the night.

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><p>"So which one do you want?" I asked the Uzumaki gesturing towards the twin rifles on the table before us, they were identical so it hardly mattered but I liked to be polite; my student still seemed depressed though as he only shook his head in disinterest and grabbed the closest one.<p>

"Do you think this is a good idea Kakashi?" asked the blonde as he tested the weight of his new weapon, I was certain that he knew that it was the best approach but for obvious reasons he wouldn't approve of it much preferring the suicidal rush tactic with Sasuke.

"It'll be a warzone, besides the Uchiha you seem so fond of will undoubtedly rush in, you can help him best with cover fire." I mentioned, tactfully omitting that the Demon sealed within him made him a huge liability if he overexerted himself, I wasn't sure if I'd ever broach that subject.

An apology hardly seemed adequate.

"Why are you helping anyway?" there wasn't an ounce of resentment in his tone, which surprised me, only simple curiosity.

It was an understandable question I suppose, after all I'd made no effort to prevent his punishment even assisting in it in my misguided loyalty toward Konoha and now I rushed to help the former Hyuuga princess of my own free will.

"Redemption though I doubt I'll achieve it. I want to protect you three above all else and you all seem intent on this course of action." Naruto remained silent for a couple of moments and I found myself shifting nervously under his gaze, a rare occurrence.

"There's something else isn't there." Asked the blonde setting his weapon onto the table gently, I shifted my weight again awkwardly.

"I think I owe the Hyuuga an apology." I breathed tensely, I'd been blaming her, demonising her for crimes that hadn't been her fault but mine and Konoha's; I'd been the one who taught them to protect their loved ones and then expected them to follow a war-mongering Order only interested in its own subsistence and greater 'goods'- naturally it was never Konoha's leaders or council that made the sacrifice, only it seemed my students.

"I don't hold it against you by the way Kakashi." He replied casually, I felt my one uncovered eye widen as I turned to stare at the younger warrior.

"I've done things I'm not proud of too under orders, it would be hypocritical of me to hold anything against you." I wasn't quite sure how to respond except for with a quiet hollow sounding 'thank you'.

Naruto held me no ill will and neither did Sasuke it seemed, both having simply written off the past as natural order for opposing signs; a phenomenon I'd seen in soldiers before, enemy of my enemy almost a law in their minds.

Sakura was a different case though, she'd been a medic not a soldier, while my other two students had lost all sense of their innocence from decades of slaughter Sakura had retained a measure of her own- not completely certainly- this innocence allowed her to still feel like a victim where Naruto and Sasuke would assume any tragedy was karma in effect.

To an extent I believed Sakura blamed me for not helping her during her madness, for allowing her do things she'd normally rather die than even consider, a fair emotion really as I blamed myself too.

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><p>He coughed and spluttered weakly, a trail of blood ran from the corner of his mouth as he tried to speak but I paid it little attention to it far too absorbed in my own frantic search, for whatever injury threatened to rip my beloved from me.<p>

There was none.

Still he grew weaker dying inch by agonising inch in my arms as all I could do was hold him, desperately trying to force some of my heat, my life-force into his freezing trembling form.

"Don't…" with a strength that was clearly his last he managed to raise his hand to my cheek, cupping it loosely he carefully wiping a tear away- I hadn't realised I had begun to cry- my hand moved instinctively to his chest feeling his hearts final beats, the heart he'd sworn belonged to me yet refused to keep him alive for me.

"Sasuke…" I whispered as he coughed violently again, the action shaking his suddenly so fragile body terribly.

"Don't let them hurt you…my brothers…Konoha…they're evil...don't let them..." That's right, I realised, they had driven us to this, it was their fault…and they would suffer for it.

I opened my eyes suddenly to find myself back in the prison cell, the dank dingy and dirty cell I had begun to despise so much, I had business to attend to after all and each moment here was a waste of precious time.

Genocide wouldn't commit itself.

I spotted Sasuke, sitting idly in his corner again, he always gravitated towards the darkest part of the cell, hiding himself in the shadows from my visitors despite being invisible to them.

"What were you dreaming dear?" asked the Uchiha pulling himself from the shadows and almost gliding toward me, despite being stuck in the room too he'd managed to remain quite well groomed, I could only image the nightmare I must resemble by now.

"I was remembering your death." I answered quite casually, it didn't matter as much now since he was back, though I couldn't touch him yet…and I hated that.

"It feels like such a short time ago." Sasuke mused easing himself down next to me.

"Not to me." I answered, he hadn't returned for years after his death, and even then it was in increments; at first he was just a face in the crowd and then after years of that he appeared closer to me, it was only recently we'd been able to speak to one another.

My reward for avenging him I believed.

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><p>That's that chapter hope everyone is still enjoying the story…and haven't become tremendously depressed yet.<p>

I was hoping that I could get some feedback on the characters by the way, most of them are darker and more melancholic than their canon counterparts but I'm hoping that's within the realms of belief given their greater age and different backgrounds.

Anyway let me know if you have the time, my biggest concern is that I haven't managed to regain any sympathy for Kakashi and even Sakura.

xXxXx


	13. Chapter 13: Buried Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Amy- Hinata's been captured by Konoha and is being held prisoner at the main Uchiha compound, by matches did you mean the card game? It's in preparation to read the bond since they expect to be tested in combat by the Head of the Earth order.

Chapter 13-

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><p>I took the plastic cup Sakura offered me with little more than a nod of gratitude and swallowed a hearty mouthful, to my slight disappointment I'm not sure exactly what I've just drank, it was probably coffee but it could have been piss for all I'd be able to taste it, the formally pink haired woman gave me a strange look and it took me a moment to realise why.<p>

She blew timidly on her own beverage likely confused as to why I'd so quickly swallowed my own scalding drink, and probably more so at my lack of reaction.

We hadn't discussed last nights…discussion yet, it hung over the both of us rather awkwardly and I felt myself hoping that the Lord of Earth would provide for me some pretext for violence.

We were all violent; Kakashi, and I in a cold but clearly calculated manner and Naruto and Sakura in a more boisterous fashion- like knives and hammers really- and it was that violence that would get us over any lingering awkwardness, bind us through instinct.

It would quell the tension, for a while anyway, but that was all I really needed.

The car lurched roughly and I noticed my companion did not take advantage of an excuse to fake the loss of her balance and make a physical connection with me…probably for the best really, the serene white dress she wore would be less impressive wrinkled and with coffee stains.

It would have been fun though- _Of course she's clairvoyant Earth walkers…she just like's the contrast of the coffee stains is all._

I could feel her turbulent emotions through the bond.

There was shame radiating from her and in equal measure anger at the rejection, but both shallow emotions were dwarfed when compared to the underlying love I could still feel choking me, trying to ensnare me and coax me into returning the sentiment- such was the nature of the bond.

A thought that chilled me to the core came unbidden, the love or was it simply attraction that I could feel coming from Sakura rivalled the long lost feelings of Hinata…no I convinced myself, my own senses have just been degraded.

There was no way my former teammate could love me as much as my wife had…there was no way I could accept that.

For whatever reason I recalled a day past, nearly fifteen years before I stepped into the now deceased Doctor Mason's practice and reunited so to speak with Hinata.

I'd been keeping tabs on Hinata since her rebirth interfering as little as possible, out of fear of drawing attention to her, she'd been through a couple of foster homes so far since her parents accident; thanks to the runes I had used she had not been born to Hyuuga parents and her seal signature would remain perfectly dormant, but still I worried constantly.

Naturally I'd investigated her new caretakers and had found nothing that required my special touch, well not exactly, it wasn't the foster parents that drew me to the quaint little town in the mountains but the rumours that circled its neighbours.

Child abductions, each two or three months apart from one another and with no particular pattern that the authorities could decipher thus far, hence they held the belief that some vagabond or drifter was to blame and focused their main efforts on predicting his next target location and prevent another incident, since the 'drifter' had visited ten towns and six of those more than once the plan did not inspire much confidence.

I was taking an alternative approach in my own investigations, in reasonable distance of the ten towns three others which could have been assailed by a completely random drifter had not been, the authorities had only investigated one of these towns as it would have been impossible for the drifter to have avoided it, the other two weren't on the direct route.

It was the other two that had perked my interests; the whole situation had a certain air of intelligence to it, cold calculation that was very much amiss in the profile of a fiendish drifter.

It was an easy if not disgusting process to place myself in my targets shoes, a calculating predator would not act close to where they themselves lived.

It's not a difficult thing to narrow your list of suspects down, who owns a vehicle suitable for the act narrowed the search down considerably, then there were the percentages, someone who was required to travel between the towns on work became more interesting while the business man who works long hours six days a week became less so.

Eventually I found myself breaking into a middle-aged couples lonely home after almost two dozen previous failed searches, the husband worked as a courier for some small company I hadn't bothered to remember the name of- giving him the suitable transport and excuse to travel- he had however visited only about half of the towns on days corresponding with abductions.

He was my prime suspect now after I'd checked into and found nothing for the other names I'd decided to investigate, I didn't like however that if it was this man he had to have an accomplice.

I hated complications like that.

I flicked through a stack of old magazines, probably an optimistic way to look for evidence but I had to be through, the CDs stacked on a book shelf were next, drawers, cabinets and finally I located a plastic wrapped ledger hidden in the toilet cistern.

Quite curious.

It had been awhile since I'd encountered a sexual predator- not exactly a priority to be dealt with for the Order, more like an element if you spoke to the wrong members in fact- but last I checked they didn't keep records of any kind.

I heard a click behind me.

"Don't you fuckin' move asshole!" I was surprised to hear a shrill feminine voice screech, the madam of the house I guessed, I dropped the book and turned as the woman ordered me to.

Of course unless she was threatening me with a crossbow or a bow and arrow the metal ammunition she had didn't pose any real threat but it was best to let her believe so.

It was unfortunate but I might have to kill the woman, if my bluff didn't work of course.

"Officer Maxwell, investigating your husband for suspected kidnappings." I thought of including a line about a partner in the other room but decided against it, an actual cop wouldn't mention it so neither would I.

There was a widening of her eyes in recognition then the gun fired…well at least killing her wouldn't be unfortunate now.

The bullet reflected back but at an angle just missing the woman's head, a couple of moments later I'd taken the gun from her and was, rather casually, tying the woman to one of her dining room chairs as she shouted abuse at me.

My self-respect took a hit as it occurred to me that I was being insulted by a woman who alongside her husband kidnapped children and sold them off to cowardly paedophiles, supply and demand in its darkest form.

In a better world I would have liked to turn these two into the authorities, let the families have some form of closure, but I knew it could attract unwanted attention to myself and by proxy Hinata.

So I decided on something more elaborate.

With cold detachment I waited for the husband to return home and upon his arrival unloaded four rounds from his wives sidearm into him, one in the stomach another in the leg, a clipped shoulder and the final in his head as he lay writhing on the floor- I wanted the shots to seem frenzied and panicked.

Next as- rather unsettlingly- the woman wept for her now dead husband I shot her, it wasn't hard to make it seem like a suicide after all she'd already fired the gun at me, all I needed was the right angle.

Rather dispassionately I untied the woman and dropped the ledger nearby her body, I wasn't sure if the authorities would assume she'd found the records and murdered her husband and herself or if they'd conclude that guilt had overcome her and she'd left the ledger as a form of confession.

It didn't really matter to me, the dirty business was finished with and a potential threat neutralised.

I still couldn't shake the unease that filled me though, at seeing a couple so monstrous clearly possessing the capacity to love one another…it was my fear that it had been that love they shared that dragged one down with the other.

It was my fear that if Hinata loved me then she'd be dragged down with me.

"We're here it seems." Sakura's voice broke me from my musings, the driver had pulled up to our destination and was awaiting his payment as Sakura gathered up the few information packets we had brought.

I stepped out into the dusty white car park of the quarry…it seemed a strange place for such a powerful organisation to have a base but it made sense in context, standard earth troops could only make their own bodies as hard as stone but the more powerful warriors- the leader and certain clan heads- could manipulate the stone and rock around them.

It would be virtually suicide to challenge one of those powerful leaders in a place like this, best to get them at sea, a heavily forested area would also work well, anywhere that they didn't have direct access to their affinity or would be limited in using it.

If things went sour I'd stand little chance at escape, lightning and fire were only so successful and my speed would be useless when they could simply seal the exits.

"Are you sure you want to follow me?" I asked my old comrade, I took in her profile so different even in my now colour blind state; the hair was different in both colour and style, the dress she wore seemed unnatural and foreign on her figure and even her posture and attitude had changed- to better mimic the part I needed her to play.

"Would you follow _her_?" she asked her voice icy and carrying more than a slight tremor in speaking the word 'her'.

"Yes." I didn't have to think about it, and I knew what she was hinting at, it had been the same thing Naruto had said outright back at the Village Hidden in the Dream.

Maybe it should have been uplifting to me, brought a smile to my face, but instead it was dread that crept into my core, I couldn't love either one of them back the way they deserved- hell I couldn't even be consistently nice to either one of them- and yet they were so ready to follow me into the abyss.

"If I had never met her…maybe I…" before I could finish Sakura had burst into a hearty laugh, but I noticed her eyes water as she turned away.

"You really must be frightened, to say something like that." She commented trying to sound light hearted, I shook my head, this was no time to let guilt overcome me.

"Let's go." I could use an excuse for some bloodletting.

* * *

><p>I'd been thinking, tallying up my count really, Madara and I had been managing one member of Uchiha royalty about every three months for the last sixteen years, sometimes we'd get two together or none at all but I thought we must have removed about sixty of the scum from the earth by now.<p>

When the master arrived here I wasn't sure how but we'd kill all the Uchiha here too, there were quite a few common clan members and Konoha troops here too which made the count imprecise but I knew that there were at least twenty if not more of them plus the clan head.

Said clan head was actually in my cell right now, asking questions over and over again, hoping for an answer I thought.

I snarled an insult and spat at him.

After killing the rats here most of the clan would be dead and my first target would be near complete, next would be Konoha- not all of them mind you just the leaders- and then Anneil.

Yes, save the worst betrayer for last.

She'd poisoned my thoughts when she'd implanted those visions in my mind, tried to make me doubt him, see him as cruel, as lecherous for Sakura's flirtations- cut off just in time to leave lingering doubts- and then she convinced me to return to him…so carefully timed that I'd distract him and prevent his escape.

And of course it was her vision that cost Sasuke his left hand and Sealed weapon.

Yes, the seers end would not be pleasant.

"Where is Sasuke." Droned on the elder man's voice, the eighteenth or the nineteenth time to ask the question I thought, after such perseverance I decided he'd earned an answer.

"In the corner, but his bodies buried about two hundred miles away." I answered, technically Sasuke wasn't here right now but I doubted Fugaku would ever become aware of that.

"He does not stay dead you realise, he's been seen all over, in fact two confirmed KIA and two MIA have been added to his record this month." Stated the Uchiha patriarch with a disappointed sigh, aw it seemed he thought I was having a moment of 'clarity'.

"Bullshit." I denounced the crap spewing from the morons mouth, Sasuke had said it was the last time, Madara had said he couldn't come back and that lousy copy had been missing our bond- though obviously now it appeared the copy wasn't the Uchiha clan's own work, someone else with an interest in Madara no doubt.

"I assure you it is most certainly not, I am quite hopeful the boy is still around." Returned Fugaku a minuscule smile gracing his hard features.

"And now that's definitely crap." I spat.

"Hardly, my brother- in his own way- had raised our reputation quite high. An Uchiha crippled the Sound and has run up one of the highest bounties in recorded history, and once we bring an end to him as only we can our superiority shall be unquestionable." Answered Fugaku, revealing to me that despite being so well mannered the man was clearly deranged.

I barked a laugh, the man had no idea, if Sasuke were alive then they were inviting- no forcing- a calamity on themselves, I heard the Uchiha mutter 'useless' under his breath and the now familiar crash and clang of the cell door opening over my own increasingly shrill laughter.

* * *

><p>There was something strange in arriving to a meeting with such an important person without being blindfolded, it showed a complete lack of fear on the enemies part and left you feeling more than a little like a rabbit come to pick a fight with a fox.<p>

Sakura took the lead while I kept what was supposed to be a respectful distance behind her, keeping my shoulders hutched and my head slightly dipped, I tried not to over play the servant role an easy thing to do- it was best to attach another dimension to the act, slight defiance or even lingering pride.

We followed suspiciously empty tunnels and I tried to ignore my growing claustrophobia, Sakura still appeared cool and calm but I didn't doubt that under the mask she'd begun to worry.

Twenty minutes later we broke back into daylight, an unnatural courtyard perfectly square had been cut out of the Earth- judging by the smooth walls we were in fact about forty feet down- eight circular columns rose from the ground, marked with detailed symbols as high up as the eye could see.

It was a show of power, a monstrous statement of an earth user powerful enough to move mountains and to do so accurately enough down to the millimetre thick writing.

There were maybe a dozen people in the room, eight guards by each of the pillars, two more masked- masks were a bad sign- guards standing on either side of the surprisingly modest throne, and a couple sitting quite calmly awaiting our audience.

"So what have I done to be visited by so incompetent a bitch such as yourself." Boomed the man's voice, he was squat and none to impressive, his legs only barely reaching the ground from his throne and his overgrown gut jiggled with his shouts- still appearances can be deceiving.

I had been hoping for a bit more reverence.

We reacted in perfect sync, I drew one of my revolvers- naturally to blow a hole in whoever dared insult my mistress- and in the same time Sakura's hand pressed my arm back down and she shot me a disapproving glance.

"I've come to make you an offer, on the part of my mistress." Answered Sakura and I contented myself with glaring at the Earths patriarch, his wife I noticed appeared bemused by the whole situation, to be honest she concerned me somewhat- tattoos, likely Seals stretched from her temples to her eyes and horrifyingly seemed part of each eye too, what should have been the whites of her eyes were an almost complete black.

"You can save it whore, I know you are no Sister." Dismissed the man…I could feel worry radiate from my companions bond and tried to reassure her through the link, it was a bluff, it had to be.

"That's some accusation." Commented the Haruno managing to keep her tone from wavering, I noticed the guards draw closer behind us.

"It's the truth, my wife you see is a seer of a kind herself, she sees not as we do but into a person, their limitations and the flavour of their power. Yours is neither on the level of a Sister nor the correct type. Your little follower was so inconsequential that he wasn't even worth mention." Boosted the man looking to his wife with a look of joy and pride, which quickly morphed into one of worry.

At the mention of a 'little follower' the woman's eyes had widened drastically and she now scanned and rescanned the room frantically.

"You're Sasuke Uchiha right, huh last I heard you were a renegade with some cute Hyuuga whore, fallen on hard times eh?" asked one of the men from my flank laughing to himself, there was a deafening bang and before I realised it I'd shot him in the face, I heard Sakura shout a command of stop and the other soldiers drawing their weapons.

"A Sister who can't control her follower?" snarled the Earth head levelling Sakura with a cool look, he was hesitating though, something in his wives frantic reaction and now pale parlour had damaged his confidence.

"I chose this man for his loyalty to his first wife, I allow him to indulge in it and defend it, I enjoy such shows of passion." Answered Sakura tightly, it kind of made sense I suppose, if one assumed the Haruno and most sisters to be mentally unbalanced.

"There's only one of them." I heard the Earth kings wife whisper to herself, shaking her head in denial, I could see some confusion and fear entering the Earth warriors resolve, I had an idea what was happening.

"Your seer appears defective." I remarked coldly, first Anneil and now this mystic had no grasp on me, what an oddly useful symptom of my corruption.

"She sees souls, none can hide from her gaze." Spat the fat man unconvincingly.

"I am not hiding, I am my mistresses blade, ready to rend life from flesh." I spoke lowly and with as much menace as I could some up, I wanted them to believe, believe that Sakura had seen the future and knew that they would agree to our deal or if they tried to kill us that she only needed me to kill them all.

"Monster, Abyss, Demon, Witch!" Ranted and raved the woman suddenly seeming to break, I wondered if it was what she'd failed to see getting a hold of her now or if she had managed to witness something of the corruption; whatever it was she'd finally decided she wanted to be nowhere near the anomaly that I represented, she stumbled and tumbled from her seat falling to the floor as her husband bellowed orders to have her seen by a medic.

"What's your offer?" asked the old warlord, his faith in his lovers abilities must have been absolute, after her declarations of my threat he'd completely changed his opinion.

I nodded to Sakura to hand over the packets she held- originally she was supposed to make the deal but the seer had the odd effect of having inversed our original roles, Sakura had been discovered as a fake as soon as we'd entered but the woman had also boosted my own position making me the threat.

"What are these?" asked the Earth ruler flipping through the various blueprints and notes.

"Plans for a Konoha military base, your most hated enemy, attack it in two days' time." I ordered with a fake yawn, I was somewhat bad at improvising so it was back to my natural disposition…commanding arrogance and inwardly hoping that his new found hesitance would hold.

"And if I attack it in three or four days or maybe not at all?" there was still a tremor in his voice, the man was clearly not used to this unknown position- his wife had been capable of accurately measuring every threat that he'd faced before now, the unknown quantity that I apparently was rightly frightening to him.

"Then I'll be back, and I'll come alone." I answered shooting the bloated man a threatening look, it was a gamble, a big one; either he would decide that I was a threat to himself and his wife being apparently invisible to them and hence not to be crossed or…

"Kill him!" commanded the Earth shadow.

It had been lucky that nobody had paid much attention to me, the remaining nine guards were ill prepared to deal with someone of with a metal affinity, the first and only round of bullets were reflected back on the shooters killing three of them as another one died at Sakura's hands as she took advantage of the shock.

The two masked guards engaged me in hand to hand- each had to have been at an Anbu level- I managed to keep pace with the speed of their assault but each block and parry rattled my bones, I struggled to gain distance and managed to draw my second revolver.

It was a matter of timing when fighting a pure breed Earth warrior, at any moment they could harden parts of their body enough to make them bullet proof, of course it severely reduced their mobility, the standard tactic was to force them into a chase and strike then.

It was four rounds before I scored a hit on one of the men catching him in the right side of his chest with a follow up shot to the left, the second masked man was easy enough to deal with on his own, it didn't damage him as much as it would a regular enemy but three focused lightning strikes broke through his defences.

Sakura was bruised and battered her jaw seemingly dislocated and a couple of cuts decorated her forearms, two of her opponents remained each I assumed to be around Jonin level, two charged shots finished them before I turned my attentions to the only remaining person in the room expelling the used casings from my gun and reloading it habitually.

Despite his abilities he hadn't attacked us himself, possibly out of fear or just as likely he wasn't a warrior himself.

"You'll attack in two days?" I asked the sweating stain of a man, he'd grown deathly pale at the loss of his guard seeming to lose the last dredges of his confidence, the old warlord did little more than nod his acceptance.

The plan was coming together, this deal hardly went perfectly but the end I wanted was achieved all the same, in two days' time the main Uchiha compound would be under attack from both the Order of Earth and the Sisters of Dream, in the chaos I would find and free Hinata…and then stop Madara's scheme.

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><p>That's it for this chapter, apologies for the lateness. Let me know what you think of the story so far.<p>

R&R


	14. Chapter 14: Hurting Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Chapter 14-

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><p>Itachi Uchiha remains a feared ghost in the past of his family, even to this day after years without a sighting many still believe he lives stalking the shadows.<p>

The second last of Madara's children the boy had been declared a prodigy from birth and had set about in short order breaking many of the Order and Clans long held records, he attained Anbu rank at an age younger than most would hope for Jonin and acquired an experimental and chaotic A class seal.

It was said that it was this Seal that lead to the loss of his sanity and the hunger for power that had seemed to claim his mind, and his eventual desertion to join his father and subsequent betrayal of Madara.

Stories of his abilities danced through the shadows, Rune mastery that bridged the gap between the possible and the impossible, Elemental control that humbled even the most arrogant Hyuuga and above all a keen mind for strategy and tactics made all the more dangerous for his patience.

Some said that even the Gods would think twice about claiming the man's soul- for undoubtedly the task would only be possible if it were part of his own plans.

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><p>Within the order of Konoha there is a certain romantic belief held, so wildly believed it was considered fact among most.<p>

Soul mates; the belief that a subtler magic than the one that powers our own legendary bonding technique exists in all of us, both sealed and unsealed, and that two people would constantly be reborn to seek one another out.

I never placed weight in such things, but after I met Hinata I outright despised the notion.

If there was one person custom made for you…then what did that make the others, your first love that didn't work out, the lover that dies young in a tragic accident…or worse still, that you may spend a live time of bliss with someone other than your soul mate and that forever more you might never meet again.

Of course I had my personal reasons too, so many years and I still refused to say I loved one more.

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><p>"I'm going alone." I stated for what felt like the hundredth time, Kakashi had accepted the answer easily enough- likely the old man had known already that I'd insist on as much- Naruto and Sakura had been less understanding and outright refused to accept any logical protest on my part.<p>

My points that neither of them were fire proof as I was, that alone I could move much swifter through the compound that only I was intimately familiar with, that Naruto couldn't use Seraphim lest we repeat last time…they refused to accept my pleas, they wouldn't let me face such odds alone even if death was a certainty for them.

"You know I thought you'd accepted the wisdom of aiding the crazy Uchiha with cover fire." Mentioned Kakashi, though he directed the statement toward Naruto both he and Sakura shot the veteran soldier a glare.

"I accepted taking the high powered rifle, I never said I'd use it as you suggested." Answered the blonde before staring at me once more with his pleading sapphire eyes, my other comrades emerald pair chimed it.

"I can't argue with you then can I?" I asked tiredly, both heads shook simultaneously, I had but one card left I had hoped to avoid playing, if it didn't work… and given what it was I was beginning to suspect I might just be a sociopath.

"Then I'll have to kill you quickly myself, I owe you better than the horrific fate you'd face at my clans mates hands." My words shocked even the Hatake who's one visible eye widened considerably while the optimistic half-smiles Naruto and Sakura had worn fell from their features.

"Then you'd leave them to Konoha once they awoke." Argued Kakashi as the other two struggled to find their voices unsuccessfully.

"I'm not new to avoiding Konoha pursuit, I can link them to you, only you will be able to find them then." I answered easily, if those two were so eager to die I'd grant them the softest death I could.

"They won't see it as mercy, soften your glare, appear sorrowful at the thought of such an act. Not coldly determined." I heard my brothers voice council, he appeared as if from nowhere on my left hand side, I followed his advice.

Since learning that Itachi's ghost hadn't been Madara's own doing I'd relaxed my guard around it somewhat, the result was that it had taken to appearing even when others were present.

"I don't want you hurt." I offered trying my best to sound concerned…it wasn't that I was not concerned rather I had little practise conveying such an emotion, Itachi hummed in his approval.

"Then leave with us now, take him for a lover if you have too but don't do this." It was Sakura that spoke and I thought I saw something crumble in her green eyes with the words, she wanted me to give up this suicide mission- even if I chose another- not to throw my life away.

"You don't want me to throw my life away on an impossible task." I spoke slowly, whatever kindness I'd managed to add to my expression fell away to a blank mask.

"She's probably already dead, you can't feel her can you?" asked Naruto, he was right of course, we had no bond anymore and I couldn't feel her, she could be long dead and I'd be none the wiser- Itachi made no comment.

"If you're right then I can go all the easier." I answered after a moment, I'd considered this train of thought myself, I wasn't stupid.

"Without Hinata, I have no life to lose." And the precious little time I had left would be spent tearing the remains of my family apart, and anyone else that I could even half justify having played a part in her death; or perhaps the loss would hollow me out leave me so empty I wouldn't even be able to summon up anger…then I'd seek out Madara, for our final confrontation.

Two lonesome beasts without a tie to this world locked in a struggle, it seemed poetic- miserable but poetic.

"I wouldn't call it a struggle. More like a final gamble." Added Itachi, reading my mind in the disconcerting manner a figment of one's conscious is prone to.

I didn't wait for them to answer but simply left the room, if they took offence and left now I'd be all the happier; on an intellectual level I knew that this was my defence mechanism sprung to life, when at my most desperate I pushed those I cared for away…and I pushed roughly.

I entered the bed room and locked the door, unfortunately despite my wishes to be alone there was little I could do to banish my more persistent companions, she lay on the single bad smiling coyly at me…I was far too tired for the emotional maelstrom she embodied with her non-Hanabi speeches spoken in my dead loves voice.

It wasn't a wonder Hinata had been effected so badly, especially without a balancing phantom like Itachi, how long had she lasted I wondered- longer than I'd have I'm sure, she'd always held onto her sense of self much better than I ever could.

She'd taken to appearing in the ragged pale cream- I knew from memory but it looked white to me now- dress she'd been executed in, covered in mud too as if to cast the illusion she'd risen from the grave.

"What do you want?" I snarled, I'd just threatened to murder my closest companions in cold blood as a form of twisted _mercy_ I didn't need this moral torture on top of it, I leaned wearily against the shut door allowing my body to become limb and slide to the ground; I shut my eyes tight certain that for what it was worth perhaps I would weather her presence if it was simply on the one sense.

"You don't enjoy my company?" she asked, I could in fact hear the pout in her voice, the lingering headache I had come to associate with my degradation seemed to intensify.

"But you're not here." I ground out cracking open an eye, she'd moved from the bed soundlessly and now knelt before me our eyes level, I shouldn't have looked her in the eyes.

"No, I abandoned you." She admitted softly, some new tactic I knew, her cries for me to kill and hunt Madara hadn't achieved her aspirations for me so now she attempted another path.

"I wouldn't say that." I found myself replying against my better judgement opening my other eye to watch the phantom carefully in hopes of deciphering her new game- or perhaps that's just what I told myself because I didn't want to admit I was being ensnared into whatever web she was weaving.

"But you've thought it plenty enough." She returned gently the soft sad smile she offered making the words all the more painful.

"I…" I couldn't think of anything to say, no defence or refusal coming to guard me from the phantoms accusation.

"Would it be so awful love, to allow yourself a single reprieve from all this pain. For one moment to believe I've come back to you, that I'll be here for you in what's to come. Six months wasn't enough, we can still have more, you and I." she whispered to me, imploring her eyes pleaded to me, what harm could a moments dreaming do?

"You know it would break me, to allow what could have been to enter my heart." I commented hollowly, had I not met Madara, had I not left Konoha, had I not met Hinata.

"It's painful, but I wouldn't have taken another path, not to have known you…to have fallen for Hinata, I can't bear to give up a single one of those things, they're all I've got." The presence vanished and the pressure on my mind eased slightly.

And yet I felt colder for it.

"How are you going to get into the compound, Fugaku outclasses you in rune ability so there'll be no getting in undetected." asked Itachi, stepping from a darker corner of the room, he wore his priest attire from his guise during my sleeping days.

"I'll move through the centre on the chaos when the battle begins, most likely both Earth and Anneil's group will search out the barracks first to catch the soldiers off-guard, I'll shadow that fighting and move further through to the holding cells while everyone's busy." I hadn't really given it much thought, a battle ground is a hugely unpredictable place, whatever plans I did make would be compromised in moments if too detailed.

"And your greeting party? This is a trap after all, six maybe seven Uchiha will be lying in wait. More than you can handle." I couldn't really contest the point, I could handle a maximum of four Jonin rank warriors at once, worse still these guards would have a fair idea of my abilities, strengths and weaknesses- likely even four would be too many.

"Most likely Fugaku will be awaiting you too, given the year he will be head and possess and A rank seal, there'll probably be an Anbu or two representing Konoha's joint interest in this trap." I groaned, two Anbu levels I could handle…if I caught them off guard and they were armed with metal; three intimately aware of my tactics was beyond any trick or tactic of mine, well with the exception of one.

"Seraphim." I half growled, it was more than a little risky, even with it I'd likely wind up half dead fighting my way through those odds, and that's assuming it doesn't simply kill me off once I use it.

"It would be a grand display wouldn't it. The notorious renegade storms the fortress, draws the terrible legendary rune…and then slumps over dead." I laughed, such a thing was so entirely possible it was either I laugh or cry.

"They would think there was more at play, some elaborate plot, when in reality…" I would have simply failed, completely and wholly.

"There is a measure you could take." Mentioned the older- if a ghost can count as older that is- Uchiha, I grimaced…he wasn't wrong.

"I can't." I refused with a shake of my head, more precisely I wouldn't.

"You've already done it to Sakura, bonding with her enhanced your time. If you asked both Naruto and Kaka-" I cut him off with a sudden exclamation and for the first time in decades maybe centuries turned a fierce glare on my brother.

"Kakashi would figure out what I've planned through the bond, he isn't as intelligent as Sakura but he is far slyer. And you know what happened the last time Naruto tried something new, it could be much worse this time." I argued, valid points though obviously with more than a little personal effect attached; people I cared for had to stop getting hurt, if I had to die fine, but I'd leave this world a better place for my leaving it…not tear and take a piece of them with me into the abyss- likely the end result anyway but to hell if I'd help in the effort.

Itachi still wore a pointed look.

"For Sakura this is a gift, she's always wanted to be something important to me…now it's possible she's the only thing keeping me alive." Such cruel gifts were a signature of mine; love turned tragic, friendship more akin to slavery and gifts bearing a price.

I was alone again.

I allowed my head to rest against the door frame, closed my eyes and tried as much as I could to remember what Hinata looked when she was happy truly happy- the image I got was worn and blurred and not even half as clear as I wanted, as I needed.

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><p>"Kakashi." I was half way through cleaning and reassembling my weapons, the act of oiling and checking the still quite new metal parts gave me piece of mind and sorely needed focus, the sound of her tense voice whispering my name took all that regained focus away in an instant.<p>

"What's wrong?" I mused to myself how strange it was that after so long in her company I could tell so much about her mood simply by how she spoke my name.

"I've…I've remembered something, about before." She spoke her voice heavy with an emotion I only half recognised- there was anger in there- I felt a long forgot chill creep into my stomach, clench and twist at my insides…I was frightened.

"I see." I didn't, not yet, that all depended on what it was she remembered- she could be angry with me for just about anything that had happened, after all I was- she took a seat next to me but I kept my eyes focused forward on my half assembled nine millimetre.

"You and I…we, we were." I nodded, as if I understood, but she could still say just about anything at this point, somehow I prayed that the rest of her accusation would include mass murder, violent torture, something light and easily forgiven.

"I hurt you." She whispered softly and I felt my breath hitch, that was the one thing I hadn't expected to hear, had never expected to hear; I finally looked at her, the blonde hair looked strange and foreign, but it was the same large green eyes I could spend hours staring into red rimmed and tear filled.

"You let me take things out on you, I was a sadistic monster and you held me close, kept me from doing the most awful things thar…" the tears finally had begun to fall and still dazed I was surprised to find her in my arms, clutching at my shirt and crying into my shoulder in broken sobs- but I couldn't focus on that, the smell of strawberries had flooded my senses and had thrown me into a dozen similar moments, when she'd been half way sane in a moment of clarity or simply faking it in an attempt to manipulate my emotions, when I'd fallen in love with her again and again; when I'd fallen in love with something that was either a ghost or a lie.

"W-why? " she asked me, it wouldn't be an easy answer, at first it had been loyalty to my one remaining student- the one I swore I'd go to any lengths to protect- and then later the relationship became confused…I began to depend on her, when she was lying or her old self shun through she gave me the only support I knew for years, for decades; that support had been nothing more than a couple of drops of water, but I'd been trapped in a desert of self-destruction and self-loathing, those scant few drops had kept me alive.

"I…had to." I responded vaguely, perhaps she'd think I did it out of duty then, that would be better; better than her knowing that more then had to I had needed to keep her close to me- that I still needed to have her close to me- she continued to sob though quieter now.

"Thank you Kakashi." She finally whispered after her tears had died out, I cringed inwardly, I didn't deserve thanks nor praise, those were the last things I deserved.

So why couldn't I tell her that?

I'd tell her when this was all done, if we both survived that was, that seemed alright; just a small indulgence, likely my last.

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><p>I think there'll only be two maybe three more chapters left in this, I've had the ending in mind for a while now and I think it's about time I try to put it into words.<p>

Sorry for the delay, to put it lightly things have been freakin nuts lately.

R&R


	15. Chapter 15: Burning Demon

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

Chapter 15-

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><p>I felt a tremble of excitement thunder through my being as I took in my new simply wonderful situation, my cell door hung open, I once more had a weapon in my hands- the comforting feel of the revolver in my hand was a sorely missed one- and most amusingly the former owner of my new weapon the Uchiha imposter lay pinned on the concrete floor beneath me.<p>

His strength had failed him after all the blood loss of his wounds and he made little more than a paltry effort to remove my grip upon his neck, I smirked at the futile efforts and moved the barrel of my new- albeit not so shiny- revolver beneath his pale chin.

"Finish him!" I heard Sasuke- the real one- whisper into my ear, I nodded feeling my breath come out in a long shaky shudder of anticipation, I felt his hands reach up shaky and weak towards my face- I expected him to grasp my throat, to try in vain to push me away but instead he gently cupped my face and brushed a blood slicked thumb over the scar on my cheek in a disarmingly intimate gesture.

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><p>White fire raced through the darkened grey sky lighting up the shattered ornamental walls of the Uchiha compound, bullets sang the deafening crack of my companions rifles audible over the automatic fire of the Earth troops and Uchiha's weaponry, already there was a smell of death in the air; a choking strangling scent of burnt corpses excrement and blood, that it was potent enough for my dulled senses to detect was testement to the strong of death in the air.<p>

I kept close to the southern wall for another thirty seconds run before I broke from it into the chaos of open air, bullets sang and only my magnetic prowess kept me from the automatic fire the Fire soldiers turned on me as I rushed their lines; the Earth warriors took advantage of their enemies shock as I plummeted through the line lashing out with my blade and cutting two of the gunners down with a single fell swoop, I slashed at another on my right flank as two distracted soldiers hit the ground dead from shots by either the Earth warriors or my own companions I did not know.

I kept moving relying on instinct and the advantage that none of my opponents carried the correct weapon to kill me; I moved like a possessed Wraith, some otherworldly Demon, cutting a furious path through the hordes of soldiers and distracting them long enough for my aloof allies to press their advantage.

Soon I was through the mass and of little import to those enemies, their concerns instead lay with the Earth army attacking the south and Anneil's sisters mystical assault upon the Northern compound.

I approached the prison facility encountering no more than half a dozen straggling troops to oppose my blade's path.

I felt a tingle of apprehension as I entered the seemingly empty building, the dull white walls and the silence set my instincts on edge and I slowed my pace to a careful creep drawing a revolver with my left hand, so close to my goal there was no longer a need to conserve ammunition- as long as my allies for a day kept up their assault I wouldn't have to worry about Fugaku gaining reinforcements once our encounter began.

I felt something snake it's way around my leg pinning me to the spot and a moment later the wall to my left exploded, pieces of concrete bit into my side as I threw myself to the floor ducking and covering- as the dust cleared I lashed out at the fire sprite I knew held my leg in place.

Uchiha's both controlled and were immune to fire, hence they couldn't fight one another with their element in the conventional manner; they could however manipulate the flames with runes into solid shapes to attack one another, fiery tendrils to strangle or spikes to stab were favourites of most of the clan.

I squinted through the still falling dust to see half a dozen figures though the hole within the wall, I recognised Fugaku right of centre with an unknown Konoha Anbu left of centre, the other four I recognised easily enough; Ganten and Mizuiro older brothers of mine and Yuri and Sera my eldest sisters- all four were at a Jonin level.

I felt the urge to swear vulgarly creep into my mind and I ignored it, I had expected worse; not surprisingly I felt a tremor of excitement race through me to counter my worries, there was a prickle in my left arm too where the inactive Seraphim rune lay in wait for my call- I shot Fugaku a vicious grin as a maddening haze began to set in my mind like a black storm cloud covered in streaks of dancing lightning.

I was the lightning once again.

"You're quite predictable Sasuke, disappointingly so." Muttered Fugaku as he and the other four Uchiha stepped forward slightly- the Anbu I noticed hung back removing a pack of cigarettes from a jacket pocket to aid his patience, likely he's already been warned that in a battle of six fire users it was essential to be fire proof- I ignored the comment instead pulling up the sleeve of left jacket, all five of my relatives stilled at the sight of the rune painted on my flesh.

As they should, this rune would place me on the same scale as the most powerful old ones if only for a matter of minutes.

"I should thank you Fugaku, this is a nice surprise." I spat and grinned at the patriarchs confusion.

"You should, I'm about to put an end to the crimes you and your whore committed against your family." My grin dropped and I saw an element of victory enter the man's eyes, I was going to fucking enjoy this.

"No. To get my _wife_ back I would have killed anyone, committed any atrocity. But you've made things easier, between my greatest goal and I you've put five devils I bear personal grudges to." I spoke Seraphim glowing white hot on my skin to punctuate my point, I knew however they would instead see a distinctly wicked blood red flash instead though.

I moved and they moved together as Fugaku was blocked off to perform his runes by the other four, they moved slowly by comparison but their numbers evened the odds, I fired two shots that missed and two shots that hit, the first striking Sera in the thigh and drawing a screech of pain from the woman and the second hitting Gantan dead on his collarbone, Yuri connected with a glancing kick to my ribs that I barely felt- likely more to do with my degradation than the kicks lack of force- as I pushed an assault on my last sibling ducking under his knife thrust and burying my katana upward through his sternum; I didn't wait to hear his death throes but simply wrenched my blade free and turned away.

Fugaku had obviously been bought enough time as a gigantic blazing white arm burst from his own arm striking out at me with its long jagged appendages, I moved to dodge but was cut off by Yuri, she struck out with a serrated knife that bit into my shoulder as I was forced to step into the attack to avoid Fugaku's demon claw; I struck hard head-butting her and breaking the cartilage in her nose before Fugaku came around for a second strike, as the jagged fingers of the hand approached I spun my stunned sister pushing her instead into the attacks path- her fire proof skin proved susceptible to the sharp creation as a fiery appendage pierced her gut and horrifyingly lit her not fireproof insides alight.

Had I much longer to live I had no doubt that her death scream would have haunted me for decades to come.

Gantan and Sera approached as one clumsily with their injuries and I took pity firing the remaining two rounds in my revolver lightning charged into their foreheads, the easy part however was over as I ripped Yuri's blade from where it had buried itself in my shoulder I noticed Fugaku had gained a second claw, if I didn't move soon he'd complete the legendary Susanoo technique and I wasn't sure I had anything in my arsenal that could break through it- unless of course I decided to try using it myself with the Black fire instead, though if I had thought that would work I wouldn't have bothered with anything else for storming the compound.

No the disadvantage of this Susanoo technique, bar the time needed to individually create each limb with advanced rune work, was that it was incredibly draining and Fugaku wouldn't be able to maintain it for long- of course my Seraphim suffered the exact same draw back and I needed enough time with it to dispose of the Anbu after Fugaku.

The Anbu however may have shared my thoughts as when I moved to intercept Fugaku's technique weaving my way through his monsters striking limbs he tackled me pinning me against one of the white washed walls.

The flames had taken the obvious effect on the man, some of his hair had been singed away where he'd moved to near to the fires, other burns lingers over his body as he'd been in such a suicidal rush to get to me; as he pressed me against the wall his thumb struck into my eye painfully and I heard my own voice scream in agony as I lashed upward cutting through the warriors arm.

"This is for Shikamaru!" shouted the Anbu pressing a frag grenade next to my head, I dropped my revolver knifed my hand summoned my lightning and struck it into his ribs piercing deep into the flesh, the man howled in pain and I pushed hard forward twisting around the Anbu as some form of protection.

There was a deafening boom that left my ears ringing and for a moment I was completely in shock, I couldn't feel my numb body and looking down with my one remaining eye I couldn't judge the damage any more accurately than that the right side of my body was dotted with blood streaks; whether they were from injuries of my own or just the Anbu's blood splattered over me I couldn't tell- the Anbu was little more than a mangled corpse now.

I glanced at the Fiery creature that Fugaku had become, Susanoo had been completed…shit.

I stumbled as I climbed to my feet awkwardly, I tried to dart forward put did little more than stagger forward fall and roll roughly; more than a small quantity of shrapnel had been buried in my right leg and it was near useless, each step I took left a sloppy wet blood stain.

A fiery hand lashed out at me and I leapt forward pushing off my left leg into a forward roll barely avoiding the claws, I probably should have moved backward away from my opponent given my limited mobility but I had little time to regret my decision.

I grasped my blade in my left hand and stabbed forward into the core of the fiery monstrosity, if Susanoo was far enough along my blade wouldn't pierce the armoured chest deep enough the reach Fugaku- there was a chance however that while the technique seemed complete Fugaku hadn't had enough time to reinforce the Susanoo's chest and had only summoned a quick thinner shield as a faint to keep me at bay while he finished.

My blade pierced the monster and a pained groan escaped from within the solid flames; Susanoo however did not fade and the claws fast approached me on either flank, I twisted the blade and pumped electricity through the steel.

The fires died, and through the dying embers I met Fugaku's eyes as life fled his body, there was a sickening squelch as my elder brother slide from the blade of my weapon.

I dropped the blade as I heard a sound to my left and drew instead my second revolver levelling it on three soldiers who I assumed had heard the battle and were investigating; my first shot missed but after I adjusted to the absence of my right eye I hit all three in rapid succession.

I lowered the revolver and glanced around the carnage trying to regain my bearings, what way did I need to go now, how much longer would Seraphim hold.

I picked a direction and began to hobble down a clean corridor happy to be away from the blood entrails and scorched walls, I ignored the trail of bloody footsteps I left in my wake and after not more than five minutes- I had to guess, Seraphim distorted my ability to judge time but it couldn't have been much more or the Rune would have given out- I reached the single aura I felt in the building, the one that felt like a spiteful Hinata.

I didn't have time for anything as refined as a key and instead struck the door's lock with a lightning coated fist, I threw the door open to be immediately assaulted, Hinata had little more than her nails and teeth but attacked me with such brutality that they would have been enough had I not expected the attack.

I ducked and hooked her arm behind her back pressing her bodily against her cell wall, she spat bloody murder at me struggling all the while vainly as I tried to reassure her I wasn't one of her captures.

I didn't manage to, moments after I had pinned her I felt ice explode in the pit of my stomach and the back of my mind as my strength fell away, my vision blurred and my bones seemed to fill with lead, I had trouble moving as the girl succeed in pushing me backwards.

I lost my balance and in a moment she had me straddled, her hand rapped around my throat as she pressed the barrel of my gun underneath my chin.

* * *

><p>"I warned you I'd make you miserable." He rasped painfully, I began to laugh at the ridiculous nature of the statement…that is until a vague memory returned to me, of years ago.<p>

I'd asked Sasuke to marry me as he seemed reluctant to broach the subject, he'd been in a dark mood as we'd been running for months now and true to his nature he fought harder and tried to protect and shield me- in retrospect I did just the same, and had we not been so steadfast in jumping before attacks intended for each other we would have had a much easier time.

He told me that we shouldn't, that he'd only bring me misery, I told him I'd take misery as long as it was with him I shared it, he'd looked more heartbroken than convinced by my words and we didn't get married for another two years.

"It doesn't mean anything Hinata, it's just a desperate guess. I'm here, kill him." Whispered Sasuke once more behind me, I could almost feel his breath on my skin and it took everything I had not to try and lean into his touch, I wanted to feel my loves skin on mine once more.

"He's here isn't he?" asked the imposter Uchiha a little easier and to my horror I realised I'd released some of the pressure on his throat.

"He is, so I won't be fooled by you." I answered hoping that my voice was more resolute than I felt, something about this imposter was throwing me.

"Ask him what I had named my daughter, when Naruto and I had been on the run." He growled his one good eye scanning the room for the invisible Sasuke, for his own part Sasuke did little more than snort pithily.

"We had named her Mikoto, after my mother in that life." I nodded once more resolute, that was the name, I'd remembered hearing it when I'd been trailing Sasuke and Naruto.

"He knew it, do you?" I asked leaving only enough pressure for the man to speak his last words in this pathetic charade.

"Of course not, I have no memories of my time as Takeda." Answered the fallen Uchiha and I felt my breath catch in my throat…that made sense, Sasuke shouldn't know that name, I glanced at my loves phantom.

"I read it in the diaries." He answered without hesitation, had the name been in there, I couldn't recall.

"He's got your memories, not mine Hinata. Ask him what I thought the first time I saw you." Commanded the 'Imposter' his voice gaining force as he seemed to recover from the death throes he'd been in moments earlier- a symptom I recognised as uncomfortably similar to the after stages of Seraphim.

"I thought you were beautiful." Spoke Sasuke's phantom in an uncharacteristically hasty fashion, the Sasuke bellow me must have saw something in my expression shift as he spat his own answer.

"I'd fallen in love with Hanabi by the time I met you, as far as I was concerned you were just another Hyuuga." Spat the injured man, and that was a Sasuke answer, coldly honest with no apology; a statement of fact.

I felt my hand begin to shake, I heard myself whisper a weak protest of 'no'.

"Ask him his last thoughts before he died." Commanded the Uchiha bellow me, I shook my head and pressed the barrel of the revolver harder against the underside of his chin, it didn't stop the bleeding man.

"I was happy, happy to die in your arms and I wanted my death to be a slow one so I could savour the feeling; selfish as it was I wanted to see you cry for me." I continued to shake my head in protest, this simply wasn't possible.

"You couldn't have come back, Madara, our bond, how the hell would you even have bloody survived to come this far." I half screeched, half whined I wasn't sure when but tears had begun to fall, slowly trailing their way down my dry cheeks.

"Madara's a liar. He broke our bond with his seals. Itachi found me, Naruto awoke me." Answered the Uchiha, one name in particular gave me hope, Itachi Uchiha was dead he could have played no part in protecting Sasuke up to now let alone reunite him with Naruto.

"Itachi's-" I was cut off and something utterly terrifying flashed in the fake Sasuke's eyes; something that paralyzed me with dread.

"I was in the church Hinata, hidden away in the back. Itachi only fought back when you set the fire didn't he." An icy tendril squeezed my heart, I felt something breaking, whatever had been holding me together up until now was crumbling away as everything clicked into place, how long had I hated Sasuke for playing a part in my sister's death, I'd sadistically tortured and murdered his brother- I'd almost burned him to death in the process.

I wanted to blame Madara but I didn't have the strength, I could feel myself imploding.

"Ask him-" the man didn't get any further as the revolver clattered noisily as it fell from my slackened grip, I dropped it after I'd briefly considered turning it on myself…

"He's gone…S-sasuke?" I whispered suddenly horrified as I took in the Uchiha's condition, in a matter of moments each advantageous injury became a ghastly wound inflicted doubly on my own heart and conscious- he'd come here for me, taken all this punishment for me.

"It's me Hinata." And I broke, burying my face in his collar I abandoned myself to the abyss that my grief had become.

* * *

><p>I shushed her quietly trying vainly to lift us from the floor, I was regaining something of my strength but I knew that this time I would be dead before I recovered from Seraphim, I was just happy it hadn't killed me outright when it faded.<p>

I felt my heart breaking impossibly as Hinata continued to howl in cries of anguish, I held her as best I could and searched for the words to conceal her; that I had heard Itachi's final advice- other than the advice from the phantom he'd somehow planted within my mind- that I didn't blame her, that…

"I still love you." I whispered and somehow even above her own cries she heard me, she stilled unnaturally for a moment and I could feel the grip she had on my top tighten.

"You don't mean that." She returned without looking up instead keeping her nose buried in my chest.

"Look at me Hinata!" I commanded, slowly and hesitantly she raised her head but still didn't meet my eyes I gave voice to the thought telling her to 'look me in the eyes' and then…I kissed her.

It wasn't like before, I couldn't feel her lips on mine and more jarringly I couldn't taste the flavour that was distinctly her but I felt a sense of long forgotten completeness fill me anyway.

When I pulled away her lips, chin and part of her nose were blood red.

"As I've told you Hinata, there's nothing I won't sacrifice for you. When it comes to you there's nothing I won't do." I told her, tears still glittered in her eyes and her expression was still pained.

"I love you too." She finally spoke a few tears still falling, I kissed her again before I remembered we were still behind enemy lines.

"We've got to go." I whispered urgently and with Hinata's help I managed to make it to my feet snatching up my revolver as we moved, we got as far as the cell door before I realised I had, perhaps, another dozen steps in me before my legs gave out completely.

"What's wrong?" she asked fearfully as I stopped, trying to hide my sudden weakest from her sharp eyes, I was a little horrified to realise that at only several feet distance Hinata's features were blurred, my vision was rapidly degenerating.

"You need to go on ahead…Madara's here, I've got to finish things with him." I spoke adding my reasoning as with a step closer I saw the hurt on Hinata stained features, that pain quickly shifted into determination.

"I'm staying with you." She whispered firmly, I took a deep breath, I hated what I was to do next, what I had to do; the last time she'd seen me die it had torn her apart, I couldn't let that happen again- I began to speak but was cut off.

"Fuck the reasons Sasuke, I can't lose you again, I can't even bear the idea of you being out of my sight for a moment. I-I…" she begun to sob again and I moved forward carefully wrapping her in an embrace I couldn't feel.

"I'm not going to die again Hinata. We're going live a long live together, we'll find somewhere quiet we're it's just the two of us for miles around…well just the two of us at first. Naruto's been with me, maybe he'll visit us and our kids will call him Uncle. Maybe there'll be a lot of things but I know for sure we'll be together, and we'll be at peace. But I've got to stop Madara first, it's my only chance." She listened quietly as I babbled and asked small questions here and there- what will our home be like, how many children should we have, what should we call them and with each answer I gave I felt parts of my being slip through my fingers.

As much as I wanted it to be true what I said was a lie; a final little dream of happiness, or what might have been, maybe as much for myself as for her.

"You've got to find Anneil for me, for my plan to work I need her." She nodded into my chest weakly and pulled away.

"I love you." She whispered her eyes gleaming.

"I love you too." I returned kissing her for what would most likely be the last time, and then she was gone, convinced that she was to find the means to secure our future happiness…she didn't know that our happiness had been traded away a long time ago for petty vengeance.

I collapsed; falling against the wall, and just lay there for a while, that is until I heard footsteps, I glanced upward to see a blurred figure in military dress, I didn't need to recognise his features or the insignia on the uniform to know it was the lunatic Madara in his old Nazi uniform.

"You're looking well." Complimented the ancient warrior stood before me, I raised an eyebrow lazily.

"You look like shit." I responded, I would have shrugged had I had the energy, Madara chuckled lightly at my comment.

"That was a cruel thing to do." He commented almost whimsically, I didn't disagree with the assessment.

"A final…happy moment." I returned, 'happy' probably wasn't the correct word, bittersweet maybe would be more accurate.

"I must say I'm impressed, I had estimated that that last Rune should have killed you. What trick did you pull?" he asked genuine curiosity lining his tone, I just smirked in response, I'd go to hell before I'd give him useful information.

"Of course even given whatever trick you've pulled you've got no more than two hours remaining, likely less." Madara commented further, again I would have shrugged but for the amount of effort it would require it seemed an inappropriate gesture for apathy.

"Why are you here Madara?" I questioned, the ancient warrior made a mock display of being hurt, I told him to stop it.

"Of course I'm here to see you off to the great beyond my dear son." Answered Madara somehow managing to keep any sense of irony from his voice.

"Not to keep me alive long enough to die from this corruption?" I asked, it was my gambit, I had noticed during our last fight his vested interest in my dying on his terms rather than anyone else's.

"You seem well informed." Commented the elder Uchiha with a shrug, I guessed he realised it was likely too late for me to put the information to any use.

"Just a guess, it's not the first help you've given me." I answered with a smile, a damn genuine smile too.

"Of course not Sasuke, I've been aiding you since your birth." Answered Madara again somehow managing to keep the irony from his voice, he didn't seem particularly worried; that said when I pulled my shirt aside to reveal my latest rune.

"Is that…?" Madara trailed off.

"It is and if it hadn't been for you I would have never had the opportunity to see this Rune." There was no victory in my voice, if anything there were several dark emotions clinging to my voice.

This rune I'd seen only once in my life, when I'd visited the site of Hanabi's execution, traditionally the death rune required power supplied by at least a dozen Jonin; that however could be migrated, much of the energy was needed to control the unwilling victim…and the rest could be migrated if you didn't mind the Rune being particularly painful for the caster.

Madara moved forward quickly but by that time I had already flashed my final grin, raised my revolver and pulled the trigger.

The gun might have broken the weakened bones in my wrist but I couldn't have differentiated as much above all the sudden pain, there was simply a furious burning pain before that gave way to the black numbness of the abyss.

* * *

><p>I feel as if I've been here before, well not exactly, more remains to be read however. The next chapter will explain a damn lot…and someone's not quite as dead as they and he himself might think.<p>

What did you think, sorry about the long delay.

R&R


	16. Chapter 16: Forgetting Angel

Title; Cherubim

Disclaimer; Nope I don't own any of the Naruto characters.

FallenRaindrops- Thank you I was worried that scene was too built up by now to really do it justice. And bonus points for catching the reference to 'Fading'.

Artemis Of The Golden Distaff- I'm afraid Itachi is really dead, just cleaver enough to leave an ace in the hole behind him.

Chapter 16-

* * *

><p>I had expected the abyss.<p>

And while not an abyss in the traditional sense I doubt I could have come up with a better description of where I now found myself except maybe to attach that this abyss appeared to have been set on fire.

I woke without the horrifying pain that had accompanied my final moments but didn't open my eyes immediately…after all I wasn't certain I was alive and despite the lack of pain I certainly felt a far cry from alive; the atmosphere's air was thick enough to half strangle me and tasted of both sulphur and ash, more so the air seemed to squeeze me in a vicious embrace.

I cracked an eye open- an eye I had lost to the best of my recollection, and even before that one that had seen colours fade from being- and felt some of the thick bitter air catch in my throat; through rusted amber cell bars I took in a blazing scarlet sky behind and yet not obscured by darkness- it was a chilling mix of enchanting and disturbing to see rolling darkness that didn't hide what it covered- a bolt of grey black lightning snaked its way through the red sky, it didn't produce any light or if it had the transparent darkness swallowed it…perhaps that was what gave the black clouds their strange characteristics.

"It gives you pause does it not?" asked an oddly familiar voice to my left, groggily I turned bodily to the source of the noise; in the shaded corner sharing my cell sat a familiar figure garbed in a pale if not dirty while robe, his wrists were clenched by azure stone manacles kept on a short chain- so short in fact he wouldn't have been able to raise his hands past his knees.

I raised an eyebrow at the chained Madara.

I ignored his comment deciding instead to examine my own condition, I wore the clothing I had died in still bearing the tears and burn marks my family had so thoughtfully added during our final reunion, more bothersome was the dried crusted blood that clung over my mysteriously healed skin; I was also thankfully free of any bindings…it took me more than a few seconds to climb to my feet.

Madara didn't comment any further as I made my way over to the rusted cell bars, I gently touched a bar only for it to crumble away into dust beneath my fingers.

"Those are simply for aesthetics." Spoke the ancient Uchiha impassively, he pulled the chain on his bindings taunt for emphasis but I could already see a secondary defence in place, beneath the 'aesthetic' bars was a drop that seemed to go on as if forever; if fact as far down as I could see their appeared once more scarlet red and streaks of grey lightning to mirror the sky above.

"Where are we?" I finally asked my companion returning to my waking place, I was reluctant to engage him but it seemed a fair plan before I tried scaling this prison tower and fell to my…well I didn't know what would happen if I fell from here.

"Currently we are in the third world, affectionately known as The Gate. Though this is really nothing more than a holding area and we're intended for different places." Answered Madara himself whimsically taking in the scarlet backdrop of our cell, his answer however left me with nothing more than further questions.

"The third world?" I asked with emphasis upon the word 'third', I had been toying with the idea that I'd fallen into hell, not that I had believed in such things but waking up to fiery skies black lightning and visible darkness- that shook some beliefs.

"The Gate is something of a buffer between the first and second worlds; you've been here before you realise, each time you've passed away in the second world you came here for a brief while before your Seals drew you back." Answered Madara, something seemed off about the man's character, a lot of small points seemed off about the way he acted; I considered my next question, Madara sighed deeply.

"Would you like to hear the tale of the old ones?" asked the elder man, there was no excitement in his tone and I wondered at the offer.

"You seem talkative." I commented coolly, despite a lack of discernible alternatives if I wished to learn more about my new situation I would still rather not learn anything from Madara.

"I've been here for a long time, it's good to speak with someone…my story would answer the question." Returned Madara adding his reasoning as I cocked an eyebrow, with a sigh I reluctantly agreed to hear his history lesson.

"The world you know is the second world, but before your world existed ours did. It might be egotistical to call our world the first but as far as our knowledge went we were the first." Began the ancient warrior coughing dryly at intervals, I noticed him eye something in the corner of the cell and on closer inspection realised it was a trough of dirty amber water, a cup lying abandoned nearby; I made no move towards it.

"All the old ones come from the first world and before the arrival of the second world things were peaceful. With the arrival of your world there came a divide, at first you were a novelty; we took an interest in your plain, we made bets watched over you as one would some curious pet." Spoke Madara with indifference that also seemed uncharacteristic, the Madara I knew was gleeful, erratic and always over the top with his dramatics.

"Later we began to change our sentiments; some took an interest in your development, they thought to aid and guide you acting as Gods and Angels; another fraction thought you a threat and visited you as plagues, disasters and Devils with the intent to destroy you; a third fraction believed neither in leading you or destroying you but in subjecting you. In reality they were most likely just an honest variant of those claiming to be Gods." He broke off in a peel of violent coughs and threw another longing glance towards the water.

"I was one of those Devils, and when the tension eventually lead to War a Commander of the losing side. We were banished to the second world as penance, we hadn't created the Seals yet or developed Runic lore and were forced to live immortal under the same limitations as the denizens of the second world." Explained Madara, I snorted, was he expecting sympathy.

"We discovered Seals and Runes mostly by accident. As I'm sure you can imagine being exiled to the second world gave us no love of humanity, we murdered and killed and as we did we discovered the power death could lend us. I'm sure you already know that to create a Seal lives must be sacrificed, it's this sacrifice that allows us to create a tenuous link between the first and second worlds." Explained the Uchiha dryly, I had known the requirement of death for Seal creation but I hadn't known the reasons behind it.

"How are you feeling? Weak? You should be, the longer you stay here the more souls escape your Seals- I'd suggest you take solace in the loss of power as those souls who have served you till now will be at peace…but you hadn't intended for them to know peace had you?" questioned Madara answering one of my earlier questions in the worst possible way, I hadn't tried to activate any of my abilities yet but now that I did I found them absent; the fires were dead, the lightning faded…I glanced down at my arm.

I took in the strange sight of my bare smooth skin, devoid of the mark of my time with the snake…conflicted I felt both a sense of loss and freedom at the absence of my Seal.

"Is that what my Seal was about? Creating a greater link between the worlds?" I asked resisting the urge to check if my other Seals had vanished too, Madara coughed feebly before he answered me with what almost could have been a laugh, though it was so bitter and sardonic I had trouble believing it came from the Madara I knew.

"I made a deal before I left the first world, that I could prove that humanity was not worth saving. If I could I would be allowed back my place in the first world and free reign to do with the world as I willed; if they proved me wrong I would be sent through the Gate to the fourth world- better known as Hell." Answered the ancient Uchiha, still questions lingered.

"How would my Seal damn humanity?" I asked finally feeling my breath come easier as I adapted to the strange atmosphere.

"Not just yours, a pair of lovers betray one another and make a deal for power and vengeance with a man claiming to be the Devil. That would damn humanity…you came close too, you both made the deal, you murdered her and she almost burned you alive; all whilst claiming to love one another." Explained Madara, hearing it summed up as such seemed to cheapen what had happened to us.

"You didn't die from the Seal though, you took your own life instead. A redeeming act for what I'd been claiming to be a power-hungry mortal. Well done." I stared at the man for a moment, his 'well done' even sounded genuine.

"There's more to this isn't there?" I asked lethargically, I couldn't summon up the strength to be enraged and indignant- besides it seemed I'd already earned Madara a ticket to Hell, I had no need to lash out on him with that fate looming in the horizon.

"You've noticed then, I debated when I should bring it up or not." Commented Madara giving me more credit than was strictly due, I didn't correct him.

"My mind didn't make it to the second world untouched, the Father you knew was rather a distorted reflection of what I had been. Though much like your physical ailments my wounds were also healed." Explained the old man with a cough, that certainly explained the strange differences in his personality since I'd awoken.

"So that's what you meant earlier, you left your sanity behind you." I commented recalling his earlier words as I raised myself to my feet with more effort than I would have cared to admit, I stared down at the creature who held claim to the title of my Father with a mix of distaste hatred and pity.

"Do you think that excuses what you've done, even before your madness you were a champion of genocide. You deserve everything you get." I spat with a snarl, Madara kept his head bowed.

"Some would say the same things about your friend the Haruno, or your wife." Answered the ancient raising his tired eyes to meet mine, I felt anger throw off the stagnation that had pained me.

I kicked him.

I felt his nose crunch beneath the heel of my boot and took a twisted pleasure in seeing him roll onto his side in a pathetic attempt to block his vital points- his nose still gushing dirty blood- I may have continued striking him had crash not distracted me.

The bars had crumbled away entirely and where the drop had once been solid darkness now formed a path that seemed to beckon me forward, I had only lay a single foot upon the solid shadows when I heard Madara's voice call to me.

"I'm sorry, had I had my mind a family may have softened my cause. All I can offer you now is advice, don't trust them." He broke off in peels of pained coughing and I took a step back into the cell towards the water trough, I saw a desperate hope enter Madara's black eyes.

I'd never known my mother, I'd lost the two women I'd loved more than words can measure, I'd died countless times and experienced countless horrors and all these things could easily be laid at this pathetic grovelling man's feet along with the grief of countless others.

I lifted the trough with a grunt and tipped it over.

The sludgy water spilled over the floor and out of the cell pouring away into the open air as Madara threw himself on his stomach stretching his body to try and reach the puddle still several inches from him.

I left him like that feeling ashamed of myself, had I allowed him the water I would have proved myself better than he was…but instead…

The path stretched out for what seemed like eternity before me and I forced my weary legs to trudge onward through the backdrop of scarlet, darkness and murky grey lightning; I walked away from the anguished cries of the formally invincible Madara Uchiha.

* * *

><p>The red skies eventually faded after what felt like a couple of dozen miles- though I got the distinct impression this was a path that couldn't be measured by any unit I knew of- the sky became not blue, or not solely anyway, but the canvas of some cosmic art where streaks of azure blue danced across the wide sky alongside emerald green and pale gold; sometime while I'd been distracted by the sky the path I trod on had changed from the pitch black darkness to a dull white, looking backward I was the path appeared to be the same white hue even as far back as when I knew it had been shadow.<p>

Eventually the path ended widening out into an island that held nothing save for two easily recognised figures I had thought long lost…though given where I was it made sense; I eyed them sceptically, this wouldn't be the first time someone or something tried to use these images to manipulate me.

"Finally Madara's heir arrives." It was not them.

The man who had spoken stepped forward brushing a strand of hair from his eyes in a gesture that was disturbingly reminiscent of Itachi, his companion shot me an apologetic smile as she too stepped forward with a confident stride that was completely Hanabi.

"I'd rather you dropped those guises." I grunted with a half snarl at the figures.

"That is entirely up to you Halfling, our appearance is based on your perceptions." Commented the man who bore Itachi's visage, I attempted to cancel the image to no avail, either I lacked the mental capacity to do so or the man had been lying to me.

"Is this the first world then?" I asked with a raised eyebrow at the extraordinary and beautiful scenery that surrounded us.

"The Halfling is not completely ignorant, what a rarity." Commented the man only to be shushed lightly by his companion.

"This is not the first world, merely the other half of the Gate." Answered the woman with a familiar smile.

"So are you to judge me?" I asked feeling too weary, an unnatural fear lingered in the back of my mind but I felt little more than a faint touch from it.

"No we're here to offer you something." Spoke the woman gently as the man nodded his agreement.

"And what do you offer?" I asked dispassionately, my last deal with an old one had left a bad taste in my mouth, already I knew that whatever they offered would come with a steep price and far-reaching consequences yet unseen.

"When a regular mortal perishes they are not offered an option, they are either sent through the Hell gate or the Heaven gate. You shall have a choice." Answered the man with all the humour of a rock, even the actual Itachi at least held hints of mirth in his actions.

"You may accept our judgement and pass through the Gate; or join our service and return to the second world." I felt my breath catch once more as my mind seemed to crumble inwards on itself, I was surprised to see the Hanabi doppelganger smile sweetly at me.

In a manner of speaking I couldn't lose, I would have a long awaited reunion with one of two women; and yet it was the one choice I couldn't make for all the world, to enter restful eternity and find Hanabi or return to the living chaos of my old life and try to save Hinata from it.

"…" My voice failed me and I swallowed dryly.

"What…what price would I have to pay, to return to…?" I broke off in my questioning, my mind returning to Madara's strange warning, what would they demand of me.

"Nothing more than the basic requirements." Answered both as one, I felt my heart clench as the woman who resembled Hanabi smiled approvingly in what I thought was a rather twisted gesture of support.

"And just what would those requirements be?" I asked uneasily, I was already tempted by weariness and the thought of being reunited with both Hanabi and Itachi, would their price be high enough to sway me from returning…should I even return, all I'd ever caused my loved ones was pain.

"Everything." Answered the deity in the guise of Itachi without emotion, I raised an eyebrow.

"You would be of no use to us with your name so well known…it is no simple matter but your past would have to be erased." Elaborated the second figure.

"You can't mean…" I broke off, that was a price too steep.

"Everything Sasuke Uchiha had done, would be undone, you would be forgotten by everyone." Spoke the visage of Hanabi now without sympathy, I opened my mouth to shout my rejection of such a thing; to return to the living now would be to abandon any and all hope at happiness, at love.

"Consider your companions before you decide." I glared at the figure so similar to Hanabi wishing not for the first time that I would stop seeing cheap spectres of her and instead see the true woman, I snapped my mouth shut confusion plaguing me as I realised I know had the chance to see my old love once more.

"The Haruno became distraught as soon as she lost the bond to you, the Hatake wasn't so affected but he did rush with the other members of your small family to your aid and the Uzumaki…he implodes upon the discovery, the fox devouring his soul and your companions in proximity; all three spend eternity in that writhing mass of lost souls." They spoke trading control with every other sentence.

"And your lover, what do you believe she will do upon discovering your body, slain by your own hand and with a single attack left within your crude weapon. She will become trapped by her guilt and seek to escape such memories." I became trapped in the images, of Hinata returning to find my body, of her assuming the worst and in her misery deciding on a preference of death; perhaps Anneil would awaken her but would she appreciate the act, not likely, no she'd immediately but an end to such agony...she'd spend forever miserable and lost unable to bare the awakening of her own soul.

"You…I." I stammered as the thoughts tortured my mind, I struggled to find the words I wanted to speak, words that would make sense of this madness.

"You can't ask this of me." I finally settled up feeling my heart swell because I already knew, knew what had to be.

"It's your own happiness or hers Heir of Madara, if you seek your own peace then pass through the Gate." Answered the copy of Itachi, I drew backward, near the edge of the pale platform and glanced down at the swirling mass of colours beneath us.

The dancing colours seemed to form images, scenes from a past I held dear, two meetings in the Hyuuga gardens, a first night in a cold dingy room with the snow outside, a hundred quiet days spent in parks, at the beach, in the mountains after we'd gained our freedom, just watching her sleep peacefully under my watch, and finally simply the sight of her hopeful optimistic smile.

"Do it."

* * *

><p>As much as I understood the reasoning for it sometimes I hated keeping a cover identity, as easy as it may have been working in a small medical practice I craved some form of excitement.<p>

I did not expect to find such a thing hidden in the paperwork I currently sorted through and yet a small note with my name fell from the pages the scripting elegent and formal in a hand I didn't recognise; I read it with some curiousity.

_I'm not really sure what to write here, even if I explained everything it would change nothing and we would still be lost. I'm going to find a way to reverse this Hinata I swear it, I'll find a way to restore you. Until then beware of the men in black suits with red ties._

_Sasuke U._

I sprang from my chair immediately in search of whomever had slipped this strange letter into my paperwork, whatever madness reasoned the oddness of the message one thing was clear- whoever had left this letter knew my true identity and may try to blow my cover.

I found nobody in the street outside and could feel no trace of any seal signature friendly or antagonistic; I'd have to report this strange incident to the Hokage, the piece about men in black and red sounded like a shrouded reference or threat to Konoha's rogue hunting agents.

Back in my office I used my land line to call Naruto, I suddenly felt unsafe and craved the presence of my fiancé.

I didn't notice the scarred dark haired man pass beneath my window.

* * *

><p>eath man pass ben<p>

And that's Cherubim complete, the nasty Madara finished with.

Of course there is a third and final part in development, after all there's much still to be dealt with, an Evil Order or two to be destroyed, the tasks set by Sasuke's new masters and of course a couple that needs reuniting.

Anyway let me know what you think of the story so far and any questions are welcome.

Sorry about the downer ending btw…at least Madara got a rough end.

R&R


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